The Story of a Dragon, a Knight,and a Fairy Hunter
by NeoShadows
Summary: A change in one fight can have many effects. Especially if you end up attracting a hot Fairy Hunter and changing the view of one Knight. Needless to say, things were about to change for one rose haired Dragon Slayer. Lucky bastard.
1. Changing Iron Fate

**Hello my hopefully soon to be loyal fans! NeoShadows is back on the site with a new story in the making!**

**After finally getting a chance to use my damn computer from my online social community addicted little sister, I have come back with a new story that's been jumping inside my head since reading one of the fanfics on the site.**

**First of all, I got give a big shout out to Kuroyagi for his or hers story, Confusion. It's sad that the writer is leaving this site. IT was those stories that got me to love Natza even more. Hell, it was the story Confusion that got me to write this story in the first place. The writer will be missed.**

**Now bear with me everyone. This is going to be my first attempt at this pairing. What pairing you may ask?**

**The pairing is NatsuxErzaxEdolas Erza. I know, I know. I have to be insane to attempt this kind of pairing.**

**That or I must be a pervert. Well I shake my head and let out a loud boisterous laugh. Because I am both.**

**Again, bear with me here. This is the first time I've ever attempted something like this so I'm going to need your support. Who know's? You just might end up loving this.**

**So sit back and relax. Enjoy the story people. Cause I know I will.**

_EDIT: If you haven't noticed if you've read this story before this chapter has been edited. If your new to the story then enjoy the grammar fixed story._

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the right's to Fairy Tail. It belongs to Hiro Mashima. . . . . . Lucky bastard.

* * *

Talking, "Talking."

Thoughts, _'Thoughts'_

Sounds, _Sounds._

* * *

Running through the halls of the castle that only moments ago held him captive with no magic, an angry Natsu steam rolled through any guards that got in his way of finding the bastards that held all his friends turned lacrima. With the pill Lucy had fed him a few minutes ago working it's magic, the couple of guards up ahead of the Dragon Slayer were treated to the full force of a _**Karyu no Hoko(Fire Dragon's Roar). **_The powerful spell made quick work of the guards, scorching them charcoal black as Natsu easily jumped over their defeated bodies.

_'__Where the hell are they!'_ Natsu mentally roared as he rounded a corner to another set of opened corridors. The spiky pink haired boy shouted out in outrage as he looked through the all the corridors, deciding which one to take,_ ' Eenie, menie, minie, mo, catch a dragon by his toe,'_ he sang as he counted off the openings infront of him,_ ' if he roars, let him go, my father told me to pick the very best and you, are, IT!'_ grinning, Natsu quickly ran through the corridor only to come face to face with a dozen or so guards.

"WHAT THE HELL!" he furiously shouted, pointing a flaming fist to the royal soldiers, "I'm trying to find the bastard in charge and all I get is a couple of fucking grunts! I'm not looking for a warm up!" he glared, causing some of the weaker guards to cower beneath his furry, " I'm pissed. So unless some of you want an ass kicking I suggest you run away. Or you can stay still as I scorch your butts black!"

Waves of fire wavered from Natsu's body as the guards could practically see the terrifying image of a proud dragon leering down at them from behind the Dragon Slayer.

Shaking his head, one of the senior members of the soldiers stood his ground, shouting orders to his brother's in arms, "Do not stand back! We have orders to guard this door from any outside intruders with our life's! This is a direct order from the Royal Army Captain of the 2nd Magic War Division! So unless you want to feel Captain Knightwalker's wrath, stand still and protect this door with your life!"

A collective shiver of fright went through all the solders at the thought of their captains wrath. Looking between the Dragon Slayer and the door that lead to their captain, the soldiers were forced to make a decision between being heavily burned within an inch of their live's or death by impalement.

" I-It's just one person, right?" one of the soldiers laughed nervously, getting a nod from his buddies who seemed to relax a bit at the small bit of information, " I mean, it's not like he could be worse then Nightwalker-sama? That's impossible!"

The group of soldiers seemed to considered this for a second before raising their weapons at ready. It wasn't like this boy could be more menacing then the mighty Fairy Hunter.

Idiots. Never underestimate a Dragon Slayer. Especially if said Dragon Slayer was Natsu Dragneel.

Growling angrily at the dozens of soldier in his way, Natsu decided to just get it over with. So with a loud shout of _**Karyu no Tekken**__**(**__**Fire Dragon's Iron Fist) **_Natsu charged into the soldiers. Large flames engulfed his fists, causing his already strong punches to turn into devastating blows that sent a couple of soldiers flying away into walls where they stuck dented into.

A soldier to his left moved to slice his chest to which he easily blocked with just his open palm alone. He scoffed as he sent him into dream land with a hard headbutt to his head. Erza's strikes were way faster.

Ignoring the small pain in his temples from slamming his head into the steel helmet of the soldier Natsu stretched both of his arms back as they ignited with flames. Seeing another group of soldiers charge at him he grinned as he sent his attack flying.

"_**Karyu no Yokugeki**__** (**__**Fire Dragon's Wing Attack)**_!"

Twin sets of fire flew at the armed men from the rose haired boy's hands and arms like wings, plowing through them as if they were nothing while also burning parts of their unprotected body. He smirked before frowning at a loud shout to his left that warned him of a sword wielding man running towards him.

Again, Natsu was forced to dodge the mad strikes to his body as the soldier tried to hack him into pieces. He rolled his eyes as he wasn't even trying too hard to dodge the sword strikes, lazily moving around the blade like it was nothing. He almost laughed at the frustrated look the soldier was giving him. He had fought better grunts back at Earthland! This was almost too entertaining.

He stopped mentally laughing though as he remembered why he was even fighting. Now wasn't exactly the time to be playing around.

Moving his head back from a slash to his neck, Natsu sent a flaming uppercut to the man's jaw, sending him crashing up to another level of the building. He dodged another strike to his neck before smashing his fist deep into another soldiers face sending him spiraling away with blood shooting out of his nose.

Damn was he getting tired of all the grunts charging up to him like kids waving a plastic sword. He was wasting precious time he didn't have.

Seeing the last of the soldier group together to attack him, Natsu decided to end it with one last attack to finish it all up.

"W-What the h-hell is he doing!" one of the soldiers shouted in alarm as they saw the spiky rose haired boy's belly begin to balloon up like it was made of rubber, "This is insane! What kind a kid get's that fat in such a short amount of time!"

Natsu glared darkly at the man who called him fat, _' . . . . Oh yeah, your dead.'_

Finished gathering enough fire in his lungs for his spell, the Dragon Slayer blew a long line of flames at the grouped soldiers from his mouth as he roared out his attack, "_**Karyu no Hoko(Fire Dragon's**_** Roar)!**"

The large stream of fire knocked all the remaining soldier's out from the horrible burns inflicted by the rose haired boy, smoke wavering off their charcoaled bodies.

Natsu huffed as he kicked one of the downed men in the head, "I'm not fat dumbass. Do you see these abs! Sure, I pig out a lot at the guild but it all burns off! Your just jealous of my awesomeness, you fat ass. But that doesn't matter now that your a smoking crisp on the ground. Natsu-100 something, Grunts-0. Ha!"

Natsu laughed as he kicked the down man a couple more times before frowning at the lack of response from the loser.

"Oi! You alright? I didn't kill ya did I?" he frowned as he slapped the man's face a couple of times for added effect.

Hearing a small groan of pain from the man, Natsu grinned before dropping the man's head back to the floor as he made his way to the sealed off door. Thank Igneel, he thought he killed the guy. He was only beaten withing an inch of his life, so everything was alright.

Seeing a couple of chains lock the door in, he lite up his hand with flames before melting off the chains like butter.

Happy to of gotten rid of the small obstacle Natsu strolled his way through the door, ignoring the warning one of the men whispered before passing out.

" F-Fool. He's going t-to get slaughtered by E-Erza-sama."

* * *

In an open room of the tall castle, two scarlet haired women clashed blades, sending small ripples of shockwaves with each strike. The room around them had turned into a rubble mess of craters and broken off stones. Again, another shock wave was pushed out from the force of the two woman's attack's, breaking off of eachother before jumping back at each other with swift strikes that were nothing but blurs to the untrained eye.

Backing away from the other redhead, Erza stuck her sword to the ground as she eyed the other scarlet haired women. Erza Scarlet was a scarlet haired women who's hair cascaded beautifully down her shoulders. She had bold brown eyes and wore a breastplate that covered her impressive chest. Her silver gauntlets reached up to her elbows with a white wing poking out at the elbow of her gauntlets. She also wore a dark blue skirt that almost reached her knee's and brown boots.

"Had enough,Scarlet?" the look alike laughed, grinning at the look of loathing Erza sent her way.

Erza scoffed, "Not a chance. This barely even counts as a warm up." she glared.

The women standing a few feet away from her laughed at the glare. This was her counterpart? How upsurd. Sure she had skill but she had yet to of really impressed her.

Erza Knightwalker smirked as she twirled her lance, Ten Commandments. Knightwalker, much like her other self, was a well endowed women with scarlet red hair, tied up in an elegant knot unlike Scarlet who's hair cascaded down her shoulders. Unlike Scarlet, she didn't wear full body armor, wearing a very provocative outfit comprising of a revealing, halter-type armor breastplate top, that left much of her cleavage and stomach exposed, with light-armored gauntlets and greaves on her forearms and forelegs, respectively, as well as her thighs. She also wore a dark bikini bottom with a piece of cloth obscuring her hips. A dark scarf could be seen wound around her neck.

They had been going at it for a while now since Scarlet had let her fairy friends get away to release the prisoners, trading blows back and forth, not really pulling out any of their heavy attacks as they felt each other up.

Of course, Erza was only stalling Nightwalker to keep her away from chasing down Lucy, Gray, Happy, Charlie so that they could rescue Natsu and Wendy. As much as she wanted to end it, she had to distract her counterpart for a while or until she could alteast knock her out. That would make her job a lot more easier.

Knightwalker started to grow tired of the glaring match she was having with Scarlet as she opted to step things up a bit. Spear glowing in a bright light, the bladed part of the weapon began to change shape into a triangular, spear head.

"Let's see what your really made of Scarlet!" She shouted as she disappeared in a blur, "_**Onsoku no Yari, Shirufarion**__**(**__**Velocity Spear, Silfarion)**_!"

Dodging the insane spear thrust that was nothing but a silver blur, Erza prepared herself to re-equip into her _**Hishō no Yoroi**__**( **__**Flight Armor)**_ to match her Edolas counterpart's speed when a rosy blur shot by, decking Knightwalker in the face with a with a flaming fist that sent her slamming into the wall.

Erza stared wide eyed like a cat at the Dragon Slayer proudly grinning at his entrance. Did the idiot just do what she thinks he just did?

Natsu smirked as he smacked his fist's against each other as he turned his attention towards the Earthland Erza, "How's it going Erza? I didn't miss anything, did I?" Natsu grinned.

Erza felt a vein about to pop as she stared at Natsu. About to shout at the idiot who didn't even now what he had just gotten himself into, Erza had to hold back her shouting as she had to quickly dice some flying rubble shooting out from where Nightwalker laid. A powerful shockwave ripped around the spaciest room as the two fairy tail mages shielded their faces from the strong winds whipping out at them like wild snakes.

". . . . Someone's pissed." Natsu said flatly.

Knightwalker was pissed. This . . . this boy! Had the utter gull to sucker punch her while she was in the middle of a battle with her Earthland self and he was grinning! It was a total blow to her proud ego and she wasn't going to stand for it. The bastard was going to pay indefinetly. She gripped her lance tightly as she sended a glare that would burn the coldest parts of hell with just a glance to the ignorant Dragon Slayer. Oh yeah, he was soooo dead.

Natsu blinked once. Twice. Three times. He rubbed his eyes just to make sure he wasn't seeing double as he looked back and forth between the two Erzas.

Steam flowed out his ears as his brain worked overtime to make sense of what the hell he was seeing before something clicked in the boy's head. Holy shit their were two Erzas! His face began to morph into one of horror. Why did he have to pick this route?

"Natsu!" Erza shouted, snapping him out of his thoughts, " What the hell are you doing here? Can't you see I'm in the middle of something important right now? Go bother Gray or something, I don't have time to protect you while I'm fighting Knightwalker so go away!" she barked, authority clear in her tone that left no room for arguing.

"But-" he began, hoping to help her out before she cut him off.

"NO BUTS!" she shouted, grabbing Natsu by his scarf so he could see the seriousness in her eyes. As much as she hated ordering him like he was a lower class then her she had no choice this time. Knightwalker was just as strong as she was and he had yet to defeat her in a spar. He wouldn't be able to handle it, "Now as your superior, I ORDER you to turn away and go back and help Gray and Lucy save the others! NOW!" she shouted.

Natsu moved to speak but shut up from the glare Erza sent his way. How could she just order him to leave? Didn't she believe he was strong enough to help her fight off the other Erza? These thoughts and others ran through the Dragon Slayers head as he stared back at Erza blankly. He had grown stronger since they were kid's and he had finally started to think that he was getting closer to Erza's level. He had even beaten one of the Ten wizards Saints, Jellal, to protect her.

Needless to say, he thought he had finally proven to Erza he was just as strong as her. Defeating the guild master of the Oracion Seis, Zero, should of made that clear. But still, he clenched his fists tightly.

She still treated him like a child. Thinking she always had to protect him when she was the one that needed to be protected the most. Always thinking she knew best for him. No matter what he did, she would always see him as only a child.

In another time, Natsu would of already ran away at the sight of two Erza's battling it out. But, it seemed it wouldn't of been the case here. One rash decision would change everything.

Natsu's head dropped while his hair shadowed his expression from the Erza. Seeing it as a sign as acceptance, Erza smiled, patting his shoulder for reassurance.

"Thank you Natsu." she gently smiled, "Now hurry up and go. Thing's are about to get a little rough around here."she smirked.

Her eyes suddenly widened in shock though as she felt Natsu roughly push away her hand from his shoulder. She grimaced a bit as she felt him grip her gauntlet clad hand. That was new. He had never been able to grip her hand to the point where it felt uncomfortable. Where did this strength come from?

Natsu looked back up at Erza with fire burning through his onyx eyes that surprised her. Looking into his eyes she felt a burning intensity nearly swallow her whole. Was this her Natsu?

"I ain't leaving Erza." he growled angrily, "Not this time. Normally I'd listen to you and go running off to Lucy and Gray, but not this time! I'm tired of you thinking I'm some weak little kid you always have to protect! I'm stronger then I use to be and you know it! So let me do this, I can handle it." he walked passed the great Titania's shoulder to stare ahead of Knightwalker.

Erza frowned at Natsu's strange behavior. What the hell was wrong with him? Now wasn't the time for one of his tantrums.

"Natsu! What the hell's wrong with you? Did you not hear what I had just told you? Go back and help Gray and Lucy free the others from the lacrima! Your the only one who can do it!" but still Natsu wouldn't budge. Erza gritted her teeth in annoyance. "Natsu are you even listening to me!"

" . . . . How long are you going to be treating me like this?" he whispered quietly barely reaching Erza's ears, "I need this Erza. I need to prove to you that I'm stronger and that you can rely on me. Don't you believe in me? I can do this. So trust me!" he roared.

". . . Natsu?" Erza whispered, stunned at his outburst. Was she really babying him too much? She only wanted to protect him. She had never thought that he was weak. It was actually the opposite of that. She believed with all her heart that he was one of the strongest men she had ever known. Of all the people she had known, she believed in Natsu the most, the boy who could melt away the armor that she had so desperately tried to cover up her heart to protect herself with, with only a cheery grin.

But, she sadly realized, all that she had really thought of him as never showed. On the inside, she admired his strength of will and courage, his ability to shine through the darkness like the brightest flame, to pick everyone up from their despair to keep fighting and moving. He was the one person that she could whole heartidly place her trust in.

But on the outside, she still treated him like a child.

Erza bit her lip, trying to come up with something to say to the Dragon Slayer. But she couldn't come up with anything.

She sighed. She was going to regret this. But she needed to show him she trusted him.

"Alright Natsu." Erza sighed, catching his attention to look back at her, " I trust you. But promise me," her eyes hardened as she spoke, " You won't lose. If you want to prove to me you can do things for yourself, don't lose."she turned away, moving to find the others.

"Oi! Where the hell do you think your going, Scarlet?"

Erza's eyes widened as she was forced to jump away from a vacuum wave directed towards her from the fairy hunter's spear. Before she could move to counter the next strike aimed at her, Natsu moved in the way of her Edolas counterpart line of fire, blocking the next vacuum wave with a _**Karyu no Hoko(Fire Dragon's Roar)**_.

The two powerful spells fought against each other, both trying to overpower the other as the struggle between them sent rippling shock waves out. The shock waves were powerful enough to budge Erza back a bit as the struggle between a dragons flames and wind continued.

Eventually the struggle ended as both fighters attacks faded away. Leaving Erza staring wide eyed at the power Natsu just displayed.

"Tch." Knightwalker scoffed as she saw the last of her attack die away with flames, "I hate to admit it, but it takes some real power to match my _**Shinku no Yari's Meru Fōsu(Vacuum Spear, Mel Force)**_." she smirked arrogantly, "But that means nothing seeing as I wasn't going full power yet."

Natsu matched the scarlet's smirk back, "Who said I was even trying?"he grinned.

With both Natsu and her Edolas self busying sizing each other up, Erza decide to quickly make her way out to go find the others. Turning back to look back at Natsu with worry, Erza shook back her head as she left.

She didn't need to worry about him. He could take care of himself just fine.

* * *

Finished up catching Wendy up with the events of how he and Erza were freed from the lacrima, Gray frowned as he tried digesting the blue haired girl's news of what they were planning to do with the lacrima. Apparently in order to achieve an endless supply of magic, they were planning to literally rain it down on to the kingdom by crashing the giant mass of floating lacrima, made of their friends and Magnolia into the floating land of the the Exceed, Extalia. The thought alone greatly angered him inside while he remained calm on the outside.

His eyes suddenly widened suddenly hearing rushing steps get closer to their position as he began to get ready to use his ice magic to trap the enemy.

"Someone's coming!"

"The enemy?"

Seeing a flow of scarlet red hair, Gray sighed, putting down his hands from making an attack.

"Erza! What are you doing here? Where's Natsu!" he shouted over to the Titania.

Running up to her friends Erza frowned, catching a lack of blue fur amongst the group.

"Where's Happy?" she asked, confused on why the flying cat wasn't here, "Did one of the soldiers catch him?" she asked worriedly.

Gray shook his head as Lucy explained, "Don't worry Erza, Happy's fine. I think." she nervously laughed getting an irritated glare from Erza, "I mean he is fine! He just went out find to Gajeel so that he could show him where the giant lacrima is. Gray said he knew how to break everyone free from their lacrima state so Happy went out to help him look for it."

"Why would Gajeel need help finding the lacrima?" she frowned confusingly, "It's floating up in the sky right now on a floating island. How can he miss that?"

"Because he's just like Natsu." Gray said flatly, " An idiot. 500 jewels he's running around beating up anyone he might think knows where the lacrima is. Plus, he can't fly. So when Happy finds him he can fly him up to the lacrima and free everyone." he blinked before remembering what he had asked Erza before, "By the way, where's Natsu? I thought he would of ran in to you while you were fighting that other Erza. You did beat her right?" he asked curiously while raising an eyebrow.

Erza bit her bottom lip in thought of what to tell them. If she told them the truth, they would more then likely freak out that she had left him to fight her Edola's counterpart. But she also didn't like lying to them either. Sighing as she decided to tell them the truth, Erza wasn't disappointed when they all began to panic over Natsu.

"Why the hell did you do that Erza!" the ice mage shouted, his eyes white as the snow at the fact his rival was fighting a monster. She had practically tossed him into the lion's cage. He almost felt sorry for his rival. Almost.

"Poor Natsu's going to get slaughtered!" both Wendy and Lucy cried as they ran back and forth in circles at their friends demise. If only they had stopped him from running out the cell he would still be here in the world of the living. Why? WHY? Why didn't she just knock him out or even throw him out a window instead of leaving him to fight Knightwalker?

Charlie looked back at her friends sweatdropping. It wasn't that bad was it?

Erza face palmed at her friends reactions. And Natsu said she was the one who didn't believe he was strong enough. She felt a twitch develop in her right eye as Gray began to shout out in victory at being the last one alive and Lucy and Wendy already mourning the pink haired Dragon Slayers death at the hands of Knightwalker. She really should of lied.

"ENOUGH!" she shouted getting them all to snap out it. She looked back at Gray who sweated under the stony look she was giving him.

"Yes, I let Natsu fight Knightwalker but it was for a good reason. He didn't believe that I thought he was strong enough to fight someone like Knightwalker so I let him fight her. It was the only way to prove to him I trust him." she said sternly.

Gray frowned but didn't say anything else. That's why she had left him to the other Erza? So that she could prove to him that she believed he was strong? That was kinda-

_'__Lame'_ he thought dryly but chose not to say it out loud in fear of a beating from Erza. That was it? Their had to more that she wasn't telling.

Lucy meanwhile chose to voice her concern, "Are you sure he can handle himself Erza? That Edola's you was," she shivered remembering the scarlet haired women ready to drop her to her death with a smile, "scary. And the way she fought you looked as if she was just as strong as you. Is he going to be okay?" she said worriedly.

Erza gave the celestial blonde mage a warm smile in response, "He'll be fine." she chuckled, ruffling Wendy's long blue hair to calm her down, "You got to have faith in him Lucy. You too Wendy. After all, he's fought stronger opponents in worse conditions." seeing the two girls with worry still written on their faces Erza continued, "Alright, tell me what your hearts are telling you. Do they not believe that Natsu is going to make it out of their alive?"

Wendy looked down in thought. What was her heart telling her? Right now it was worried sick about Natsu, but, at the same time, she believed in him. It was telling her that he was going to be alright. Just like when he had went off to fight against Brain during the Nirvana incident with the Oracion Seis. Her heart had been the same but it believed in him even though she didn't know much about him at the time.

She smiled as she saw Lucy do the same. He was going to be alright. Because he was Natsu. He always came back alive. He was their loveable Dragon Slayer after all.

Seeing everyone calm down about the Natsu situation Erza began to speak up about the situation still at hand.

"As much I would like to chat on and on about Natsu, don't you think we should get back to saving everyone?" she smiled getting a nod out of everyone. They could worry about Natsu later.

For a hotheaded idiot, Natsu could take care of himself.

* * *

_'__Maybe this was a bad idea.'_dodging a speeding blur of silver to his right, Natsu had to bend back his back to avoid a slash that would of cut off his head before jumping back from a spear head to his heart.

Filling up his lungs with fire, Natsu breathed out a stream of burning hot flames towards the master spearwomen. Knightwalker scoffed at the nearing flames that she easily blew away with another Mel Force vacuum. Switching back into her _**Onsoku no Yari(Velocity Spear)**_ Knightwalker turned into a red blur that darted back and forth through Natsu, cutting small cuts into his body and clothes before Natsu tripped her with a well aimed kick to her legs. Watching as she flew into a wall with an angry shout, Natsu attempted another Dragon's Roar, only to wince as he felt the slash to his side delivered onto by the sadistic redhead earlier on. Dame was she good. It was a good thing he didn't underestimate her. He would have been dead from the start.

Calling on some fire to seal off the slash from bleeding any further, Natsu had to think of a way to beat Erza. She was definetly just as strong as the original Erza. Her strikes were fast, swift, deadly, and almost unpredictable. The way she moved and danced through some of his attacks reminded him a lot of how Erza would dodge against his attacks. He felt as if he was actually fighting the real Erza! He shivered a bit realizing unlike the Erza he knew, she wouldn't be holding back and would strike to kill.

Finished off burning close the wound at his side, Natsu braced himself as Knightwalker blew apart the sides of the room they were fighting in with her new spear head. It split into 4 jagged ends that curved inwards, resembling a jaw, stabbed into the ground as Edolas Erza smirked at Natsu, her face mad with rage at being slammed into a wall.

"Your a tough little fairy, aren't ya?" she laughed noticing the burn at his side, "What you do? Burn yourself? Hmph. Mindlessly flinging around your magic like it was endless, how arrogant of you Earthland mages." she spat with disgust, "Not even knowing the worth of the magic you were born with. This is why his majesty, King Faust, has decided to take your magic for the greater good of Edolas. That's what magic greedy people like you deserve." she sneered toward the fire mage who was starting to lose it with the women.

"What the hell did you just say?" he said angrily causing the redhead to grin widely at him with cruel brown eyes.

"I said, it's what you deserve. People like you who arrogantly flaunt their magic like it isn't a big deal sicken me. If a couple of arrogant lives are sacrificed so that an endless supply of magic can ran down on our poor kingdom then I say good riddance!" tired of looking at the fire mage, Erza spun her lance a couple of times before flinging a magic white shot the form of her Eisenmeteor spear at the Dragon Slayer's feet.

"_**Jigoku furasshu(Hell Flash)!**_"

Natsu's eyes widend in alarm as the jaw like shot of magic stabbed into the ground infront of him before the next thing he knew he was engulfed in a hellish explosion of burning flames.

Erza laughed in sadistic pleasure as she finally got rid of the annoying fire mage that was becoming an eye sore. Sucker punch her would he. Well who's laughing now, huh? She watched in satisfaction as the burning flames of her attack still continued to rage in a dome of fire that dug into the floor the palace.

She sighed. She was going to have to work overtime to pay back king Faust for all the damage they had caused. God knows how many jewels that was going to take.

Tired of watching the raging dome of hellish flames reduce the mage into ash, Knightwalker was about to stroll out of the scene of the fight before an odd noise caught her attention.

_Munch,munch,munch._

That was odd. It almost sounded like. . . chewing.

Her eyes widend in shock as the sphere of her explosion was suddenly sucked into the mouth of the supposedly dead boy, the munching sound coming from Natsu chewing the fire as he ate it.

That was impossible! How is it possible to eat flames? Only a monster would be able to do something like that!

A monster or a Dragon.

Finished eating the last of the flames produced from Knightwalker's attack, Natsu wiped his mouth with the back of his fist before smirking back at the glaring scarlet women.

" Thank you for the meal!" he laughed as he patted his now full belly, the redhead glaring daggers into his head as he laughed, " I was starting to run low on energy for awhile since getting my magic back. But now I'm all full. Now," flames spouted from every pore of his body as he looked back at Erza Knightwalker with a wolfish grin that would send any man running in fear of the destruction that was soon to come, " I can got all out!"

"Tch." she scoffed to the side before sending him a dark seductive grin that would make any man wet his pants in fear, "Well let's see how long you can last now. But please," she grinned darkly, " don't go wasting all your energy too quickly now. Wouldn't want you to get tired before I start having any fun."

Natsu's response was plain and simple.

"Now I'm all fired up!"

* * *

Damn did that take longer then I hoped for. It would of only taken a day or two to write this but my little sister kept hogging the laptop. That little girl needs help. Professional help. Unpaid for of course.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was fun writing it.

Because of a certain laptop hogging little sister, it might take longer to upload chapters but don't worry. I got ways of getting what I want.

Note to self: If begging and pleading doesn't work, resort to mass violence. But leave the dog out of it. I'm tired of getting bit by something no bigger then a soccer ball.

I'm still working on how it's going to work, but I got the main points down for this story. I'm still working on people's character. Needless to say, I got a lot of work to do.

Suggestings are welcomed with an open arms and a fresh cup of moca coffee with vanilla cream. I'll try my best to listen to any suggesting's, so review! Any questions you got or ideas for a new fic you can just write down on a review or PM me.

Ow. My hands are tired. I can already tell this is only the beginning of my pain. High school finals are going to be a bitch and a half.

NeoShadows fading out.


	2. Deadly Attractions

**Chapter 2: Deadly Attractions**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. It belongs to Hiro Mashima.**

* * *

The sun shone brightly throughout the kingdom Edolas as it's people basked in the afternoon sun. Wandering through shops for supplies, shopping for the latest fashion, or just relaxing in the sun without a care in the world the civilians of Edolas all let out a content sigh. Yes, all was peaceful in their nice little kingdom.

"Oi! You! Do you know where I might find a giant lacrima made of people's magic and body around here?"

"A giant what?"

"Wrong answer!"

_Smack!_

"Oh my Exceed! You just knocked out Dareel!"

"You bastard!"

"Oh! You all want a fight, huh? Gihihihihi! Why the hell not? Maybe I can beat the answer out of one of you losers instead!"

BOOM!

. . . . . Their went the peace. Oh well, atleast it was a nice day for mindless destruction.

Loud shouts of panic and terror replaced the gentle hum of the once peaceful chatter of the market place as a man with a wild black spiky mane tore apart the streets. The man wore an outfit consisted of a shabby, black, sleeveless tunic with studded edges, with a studded belt around his waist, loose whitish pants tucked inside studded black boots, and a pair of studded brown gloves paired with similarly studded wristbands. He also sported a distinctive wing-like ornament, seemingly made of feathers jutting upwards, over his right shoulder, attached to his tunic by a large stud. He had long spiky black hair, slicked back to reveal his forehead, red eyes with black slits, and three sets of round metal studs on his eyebrows, arms, and side of his nose with two on his chin.

Gajeel cackled in joy as he smacked his right arm into a royal soldier's temple before his arm turned into a black steeled club that branched off into smaller clubs, smashing into the faces of the armed men around him. The soldiers went slack as the attack knocked them all unconscious, their heads rattled by the iron clubs of the Iron Dragon Slayer before their visions went dark.

Gajeel scoffed, shaking back his hand as he looked down at the sleeping soldiers. Well that was boring. He was actually hoping for more of a challenge. Weren't power in numbers suppose to make things more difficult for him. He hit them once and they dropped like flies! Flies punched by clubs of hard iron steel but flies none the less. Oh well, it was still fun beating up some random grunts anyways.

Scratching his head in confusion, Gajeel frowned as he tried remembering why he had just beaten a couple soldiers into la la land. Did they tick him off? No, that wasn't it. They'd be close to death if they did. Did they take his cat? No, that wasn't it either. He didn't even have a cat. The Dragon Slayer fought off tears that were starting to sting his eyes. Don't cry god dammit! When this was all over he'd get a cat. One better then Natsu's or Wendy's.

Too caught up in his own thoughts, Gajeel went unaware of the stalking reinforcements quietly sneaking up to him. Seeing him make no sign of noticing them, the soldiers smirked as they readied their weapons. The leader of the group of soldiers silently counted off to strike to his men, counting down his hand till he reached one.

"All right men, CHARGE!" the leader of the soldiers shouted as they yelled out a collective battle cry before running up towards the enemy.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" several more clubs of steel branched out of the iron mages body that collided with several of the charging men, knocking a couple out while sending others flying. "Can't you see I'm trying to think of why I'm beating the living crap out of you idiots!" he roared to the cowering men who shrunk back at his outburst, "I mean it can't be because I'm trying to find the giant lacrima made up of my guild mates and Magnolia!" he blinked, "No, wait. . . . . that is why I'm beating you all up. My bad. Gihihihlihi." he laughed in embarrassment.

Feeling a weak knock on his back, Gajeel rose an nonexistent eyebrow at the soldier holding a broken blade in his hands behind his back. Did he just hit him?

"M-Monster!" the soldier shook in fright as he stared at his broken sword, shattered by Gajeel's hard skin.

". . . . Are you going to eat that?" Gajeel asked curiously as he stared at the broken blade in the shaking man's grip, "Cause I'm getting a little bit of hungry fighting all these weaklings like their dominoes. I could really use a snack right about now."

The soldier felt his leg shake at the hungry look in the raven's eyes. It was almost like he was being leered down at by a dragon! He screamed in fear as he ran away from the the hungry Dragon Slayer's eyes, throwing up his broken iron steel sword as he ran.

Gajeel licked his lips catching the broken blade in his hands, muttering a 'thanks for the meal' before devouring the shattered weapon like it was meat. Swallowing the last bits of the sword, he glowed with an emerald green aura of magic as he stared back at all the remaining soldier with a wild grin.

"Alright, I'm done asking nicely. It seems the only way I'm going to get any answers out of any of you grunts is to use the violent method of 'talking'. Oh, I should warn you before hand," he cackled as he cracked his knuckles menacingly, his eyes glowing a scary deep red, "my methods of 'talking' are a bit. . . unorthodox."

"H-H-He w-was trying to be nice?"

"He can EAT steel?"

"He can use magic?"

"I think I just crapped my pants!"

The Iron Dragon Slayer sniffed, then grimaced, "No, you definitely crapped yourself. How embarrassing." he shook his pitifully.

Tired of wasting his time talking to a bunch of weaklings who could only wave around swords and crap themselves, Gajeel extended a metal arm to one of the soldiers before catching him in his grip and reeling him back in.

"Where-is-the-giant-lacrima?" he asked in a bullet fast voice.

"Huh?"

"Wrong answer~!" he sang before he began slugging him mercilessly with his fist. Again and again, the soldiers watched as one of their brethren was beaten senseless by the iron mage, none making a move to free the soldier from his painful interrogation from the laughing mad man. Like hell they were getting inbetween of that!

"Gajeel!"

Gajeel's eyes suddenly widened in shock at the familiar child like voice calling his name as his fist stopped punching the soldier in his hands. He turned his head to the left to see a flying blue cat with a white belly flying towards him with a determined look.

"Cat! Your safe." he shouted as he smacked the soldier one more time before dropping him.

"I'll take you to where the lacrima is!"

"What?" he frowned confusingly.

Not wasting any time, Happy swooped in to take Gajeel up to the air. Gajeel felt his stomach to lurch a bit before as he saw how high they were going before ignoring it and looking back at Happy.

"So you know where it is, cat?"

Happy nodded, "Yup. Do you know how to free everyone?"

"Of course." he smirked, "I just got to smash the lacrima using Dragon Slayer magic!"

"EHHHH!" Happy stared wide eyed at the mage. Oh no! Gajeel was going to kill everybody! Why?

"I thought we were friends!"Happy cried with tears spilling out of his eyes.

Gajeel let out an unmanly shriek feeling the cat's grip on him start to loosen, "Don't drop me you idiot!" he shouted furiously at Happy, "I'm just doing what that Mistogun told me to do! It worked the first time!"

"Really?"Happy sniffed.

Gajeel smirked, "Yeah. Don't worry." his eyes hardened as he saw the floating island carrying the giant chunk of crystal magic coming up, "Everything's going to be fine."

A sea of flames flooded out a section of the castles walls as the Exceed and Dragon Slayer reached the clouds of the flouting lacrima island, both staring at the explosion that reduced a tower of the castle to burning rubble. Both sweat dropped hearing the loud familiar roar of a certain pink haired Dragon Slayer causing destruction somewhere in the castle's walls.

". . . . I think."

* * *

Natsu stared up Edolas Erza with burning confidence clear in his eyes as the flames pouring out of every pore of his skin continued to rage on around him in wild flares. He pushed back any thoughts of losing into the burner as he felt his pulse quicken in excitement. Thing's were about to get wild.

Knightwalker looked down at the pink haired mage with suspicion until something clicked inside the scarlet haired woman's head. She grinned. So that's why he was so strong.

"Your a Dragon Slayer." she stated as she put a finger to her chin in thought, "His majesty did say that Dragon Slayers were powerful beings with bodies close to a real life dragon. But I didn't really care for that little fact seeing as I had caught you and that little girl Dragon Slayer so easily. What's with the sudden change in strength? Grew some balls while in the cell did ya?"she laughed.

Natsu felt a twitch in his left eye, "Your not very nice, are ya?" he said dully. He shrugged, "Meh, Who cares? I'm not much of a nice guy either."he grinned.

Erza scoffed at the Dragon Slayers attitude. She had to give the guy one thing, he wasn't as weak as his counterpart, Natsu Dragion. She had hunted the the other Natsu before a couple of times in the past and he was an arrogant little prick behind those wheels of his. But when you had taken away his wheels, he was nothing but a cowardly weakling.

This Natsu though seemed to be the complete opposite. He was strong, brave, strong willed, courageous, and fearless. If he wasn't an enemy, she was pretty sure she would of respected him. But as an enemy she didn't care about any of that. All she cared about was killing him and getting back to hunting those other fairies. All for the good of the kingdom.

Leaning onto her lance that was still in it's Eisenmeteor form, Erza looked down skeptically at the Dragon Slayer.

"So as a Dragon Slayer, you can eat fire to replenish your strength and magic when your in a sticky situation like now, correct?" she asked confusingly. Might as well now thy enemy to kill thy enemy.

Natsu nodded, "Pretty much. Us Dragon Slayers can eat our own element as long as we didn't produce it with our magic. Like me, I can only eat fire because I was taught by my father, the fire dragon, Igneel. Gajeel and Wendy were taught by different dragons so they can't eat fire like I can't eat iron or wind." the flames around him began to calm down as he talked to the deadly redheaded woman. He frowned. Why the hell was she all chatty all of a sudden? Wasn't she just trying to stab him to death a few moments ago?

"Interesting." looked like she wasn't going to be able use her Eisenmeteor or her _**Bakuhatsu no Yari**__** (Explosion Spear)**_ in this fight. The explosions would only refuel him of his magic and strength making it a lot more tougher to kill him. She was going to have to resort to her other spears for awhile. What else was he capable of? That ability alone made him a dangerous opponent, especially if his opponent could control flames or even cause an explosion while they were fighting.

Her eyes hardened as she noticed Natsu look up at her with a strange expression. It looked like the little bastard was checking her out! She growled as her brown eyes glared down at the Dragon Slayer. Of course he would be staring at her like she was some hot piece of meat. A man was always a man.

"Oi, pervert!" she barked angrily, "If you keep on undressing me like I'm some kind of eye candy I'm going to have stab your eyes out!"

"Huh?" Natsu frowned confusingly as he shook his head back and forth from his thoughts. Seeing the scarlet haired woman glaring murderously at him, Natsu nervously chuckled.

"Sorry about that Erza." he sincerely apologized causing her to raise an eyebrow questioningly at him, "I just can't believe that there is someone just as strong as my Erza. It's kinda scary, especially with you both looking like you were twin sisters or something. It's almost like I'm fighting the real Erza."

_'Why the hell did the idiot apologize to me? You don't apologize to the person your about to kill.'_ the fool was actually apologizing to her for staring and he was sincere about it? Didn't he now she was trying to kill him and his friends? He must have been a real idiot do something as stupid as that.

"Tch. Your annoying. Me and Scarlet may look the same but were nothing alike. She's weak enough to actually need people to support her while I can actually take care of myself. Only weak people gather together to form something as stupid as guild." she laughed cruelly as she sneered down at Natsu with disgust in her eyes, "Only the weak can make up something as stupid as nakama. All you need is yourself and you'll become strong. Friends can only bring you down in the end, they make you weak and vulnerable and you'll become nothing."

Guilds. The thought alone made her want to laugh. They were nothing but big groups of weak people trying to make themselves big and tough with numbers. Nothing but targets were what they were. Big targets. Trying to seek shelter from the world that was too strong for them so they joined up in groups to help them take it on instead of doing it for themselves. They truly sickened her.

Natsu stared blankly up Knightwalker, his face devoid of emotion as he looked like he had truly lost it. Erza smirked cruelly. Looks like her little speech pissed him off more then she had thought.

". . . . . You've. . . never had anyone to call as your nakama before, have you?" he whispered sadly catching Knightwalker off guard.

"W-What?" she stuttered, silently cursing that she did.

"You've never had anyone you considered as nakama before, have you." it was more of a statement this time around as he frowned up at her, "That's why you think their stupid. Because you've never had that sort of bond before."

"Don't be stupid." she said coldly, "Of course I've never considered anyone as my nakama before. I don't need them. Their nothing but insects under my feet." she scoffed, "And don't sound like you feel sorry for me either, Dragon Slayer. I don't need, nor do I want your pity."

Again, Knightwalker was caught off guard as Natsu tried to hold back his laughter at the royal military captain. She felt her anger for him only rise up as he struggled to hold back the chuckles.

"What's so funny, Dragon Slayer?" she hissed.

"I'm sorry, Erza!" he said in between laughs before finally calming down, "It's just. . .you reminded me of something I use to say before joining Fairy Tail." he smiled in remembrance.

_' I don't need anyone! I'm fine on my own old man! Joining a guild will only drag me down from my search for Igneel!'_

_'Oh come now Natsu. It ain't that bad joining a guild. A guild is actually filled with lots of strong people you wouldn't be able to find anywhere else. You can even make rivals and friends their. And there are a lot of pretty girls their too!'_

_'I don't care! I don't need anyone but Igneel and he's missing. Besides, why would I need to join a guild anyways? If been just fine till you found me._

_'Because Natsu, even if you don't want to admit, your lonely, no one likes-'_

"No one likes being alone." Natsu solemnly said as Master Makarov's words came to mind. Before he had even joined the guild, he had been searching far and wide for Igneel, moving from place to place in his search for his foster father. Eventually,he had been found by Master Makarov while sleeping in a tree in the forest west of Magnolia. It was the third master of Fairy Tail that had taught him the meaning of nakama and just how important they were. Looking back at Knightwalker, Natsu had to wonder if he would of turned out just like her if he hadn't followed the old man to the guild where he had eventually come to like it their.

"No matter how much you denie it, your lonely. And no one likes being alone." he looked at Erza with stony black eyes, "That's why we have guilds. Not because we feel like we need to group together to feel stronger, but to fill the hole of loneliness that can't be filled with nothing else but friends and loved one! Guilds aren't just a gathering place for mages to look for work and fame, their our home! Our family! It's where the lost and lonely, the abandoned and tortured, the shunned and ridiculed, can find shelter and family! It's where we make bonds that make us stronger then even the god's themselves!" he roared as fire flared out of his body in the form of a roaring dragon made of flames.

_'What the hell's going on?'_ never had Knightwalker seen such a display of power before in her life. It was like his flames were alive. Even from up on one of the floors of room, Erza could feel his magic try to suffocate her in it's wake. Oddly enough, she actually felt a warm protective blanket of heat envelop her. It gave her goosebumps. Her heart began to speed up in an uncontrollable rhythm she had never felt before, _'What kind of magic is this? It's so-'_

Warm.

"You don't have to admit it." Erza's eyes suddenly snapped out of their daze as she turned her attention back to the fire Dragon Slayer, his eyes warm and gentle as he smiled at her. Her cheeks blushed. Why the hell was she blushing. She scowled. Since when did she ever blush? "I was a stubborn little bastard about it too when I was a kid. It took me awhile till I realized I always wanted nakama. I just didn't know how lonely I was." he grinned cheerfully, "Hell, I can be your very first nakama! We can be friends and stop all this fighting. I'd probably get the shit beaten out of me from Erza for not beating you, but, oh well. As long as I can bring you out of your loneliness, I could care less. What do you say?" he smiled.

Natsu's words seemed to have the opposite effect he was looking for in the Fairy Hunter.

A dark murderous look of pure rage began to develop on the Fairy Hunter's face as her body shook in uncontrollable anger. How dare he! How dare he even talk down to her as if she was some lonely little girl, crying about how she didn't have any friends! It was the most disrespectful stab to her pride as a warrior. She was so angry, hot tears began to run down her cheeks as she felt a pain in her chest like she had never felt before. Her face was shadowed with outrage.

How dare he even think he could understand her! He knew nothing of the struggles she had gone through to get where she was today. Of the blood and sweat she shed to become as strong as she was now. She wasn't a weakling like him or Scarlet. She didn't need nakama!

"SHOUT YOUR FILTHY FUCKING MOUTH, FAIRY!" she roared before charging at him with her _**Onsoku no Yari(Velocity Spear)**_ and cutting a line into his chest.

Natsu's eyes widened as he didn't even see the attack coming. Blood poured out of his wound as he tried quickly to burn the it close before he had to jump back from a vacuum wave aimed at his chest. Holy shit! He just might of made her even more pissed then she already was.

Skidding across from the bleeding Dragon Slayer, Erza didn't waste any time drilling him with holes as she shouted out her next attack.

"_**Onsoku no Yari, Shirufarion:**__**Akuma no Ame(Velocity Spear, Silfarion:Demon Rain)**_!"

Raising her lance up, Knightwalker unleashed a series of blinding spear thrusts to the ceiling, the speed of the thrusts creating kinetic energy in the shape of sharp blades that began to rain down onto the spiky rose haired boy.

"Guaaahhh!"Natsu screamed as tiny blades of energy pelted his body, blood already flying around as he tried to cover up the most vulnerable parts of his body. His black and golden trimmed vest turning into rags as the deadly rain continued to fall onto him.

Knightwalker grinned in sadistic pleasure as Natsu's screams of pain were like a sweet melody in to ear. Eventually, her attack died away as Natsu fell to his knees from the damage he had just taken, crimson staining his once white trousers and vest. She licked her lips feeling a dark satisfaction at bringing down the foolish Dragon Slayer.

"D-Dame." Knightwalker's eyes widened still hearing the should be dead mage's voice. She snarled as he began to slowly get back up from one of her most deadly techniques. How the hell was that possible? "T-That was one. . . hell of attack."

Natsu grunted in pain before flaring up his body with hot flames strong enough to burn into his skin to close up his many wounds. Steam wavered from his body as, hissing as the blood stopped flowing out onto his clothes which began to burn from the intensity of the fire coating him all over.

Thank god she didn't hit him anywhere vital! He would have been dead if she did. Natsu rolled his tongue inside his mouth, grimacing as he tasted iron. Okay, so maybe she did hit him somewhere vital if the internal bleeding was anything to worry about. He shrugged. The bleeding stopped anyways, so he nothing to worry about.

"Why won't you just die?" Knightwalker shouted angrily, gripping her Ten Commandments tightly.

Natsu smirked, "Sorry to tell you this, but it's going to more then just a bunch of raining little blades to kill me. I've honestly survived worse."

"Survive this then!" spear glowing white as it changed form, Knightwalker threw her next attack at the Dragon Slayer, "_**Shinku no Yari, Meru Fosu( Vacuum Spear, Mel Force)**_!"

"Not going to happen!" summoning jets of fire to his feet, Natsu rocketed out of the way of the powerful wind spell before shooting up higher to the ceiling to avoid the Fairy Hunter's next attack.

Knightwalker scoffed as she watched Natsu attempt to run away from her. He wasn't going to escape that easily. Pointing the magical lance down to the floor, Erza shouted out her next move as she made to follow Natsu.

"_**Meru Fosu: Sazanami(Mel Force: Rippling Wave)**_!"

A ring of shock waves from under the spear's tip sent Knightwalker shooting up after Natsu as the spear continued to send ring after ring to keep her afloat.

Her hair flapped wildly around her as she kept rising higher and higher to the ceiling of the large room they were fighting in, scowling as she saw burning rubble fall towards her. Most likely from the Dragon Slayer blowing up the ceiling to go higher up in the castle. Flipping upside down from riding her lance like a broom, Knightwalker began to fire of a series of Mel Forces to blow away the rubble. She smirked as she blew away the last of the obstacles before flipping back over to follow Natsu with one big shock wave.

'Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow' Natsu dully cried as he flew to a higher level with Knightwalker right on his tail. His body still hurt from the barrage of raining blades digging into his body. He was actually really surprised that Edolas Erza could follow him up here. Dame, did she know how to use that lance.

Filling up his lungs with fire, Natsu blew a hot stream of fire down towards Erza that she quickly blew away with another shock wave from her spear. He was going to need a more open space to fight her if he wanted to win this.

Stopping in a big and wide enough level of the castle, Natsu breathed in another stream of fire before using the flames of his roar attack to blow apart the walls surrounding the spacious room for a better fighting area.

Natsu waited till Knightwalker was at his level, his arms and legs ignited in jets to keep him floating. He was going to be really low on magic when he was done with all this.

Knightwalker stopped shooting big burst of shock waves as she reached Natsu. Keeping a steady flow of small rings from _**Sazanami(Rippling Wave)**_ to keep her floating still as she glared at Natsu. The room he had led her in was actually the training area for soldiers in training, fit to hold over two hundred trainees to train together. The room was painted a dull gold, various training equipment lying around with rubble scattered around the place. Cracks branched all over the floor from Natsu's self made entrance into the place which was in the form of a big cracked hole in the middle of the room. Even worse was the fact he had blown up the walls separating the training ground from the locker rooms and supply rooms.

"You just love causing destruction wherever you go, don't you?"she growled furiously.

"What can I say," he shrugged with a grin, "It's a gift."

No more words were said as they both glared at each from their floating position in the air. Both ready to get serious with the battle.

Knightwalker made the first move as she shot out a series of smaller Mel Forces towards Natsu. Spinning through the air as he weaved through the small deadly shock waves Natsu lite up his fist as he shot towards Knightwalker with a burning fist. He missed as she easily twirled around her lance to dodge his attack only to feel the air leave her lungs from a kick to her gut. Bastard was quick when he was air borne.

Spinning his legs like he was a top, Natsu sent a whirlwind of burning hot flames towards Knightwalker from his legs, " _**Karyu no Shakunetsu no Senpu Supin( Fire Dragon's Scorching Whirlwind Spin)**_!"

Shooting out a large ring of shock waves from her spear, Knightwalker shot out of the way of the flaming whirlwind only to get a nasty burn on right hand as it got caught up with the attack in the end. She bit her lip to avoid shouting out in pain as she watched the whip like spinning inferno tear apart the already damaged room into flames. The boy had some really destructive spells that were no joke to play around with.

Seeing Natsu wide open as his attack faded away, Knightwalker shot towards him like a bullet to slam the blunt end of her magical lance into his stomach. Blood and saliva flew out of Natsu's mouth as Edolas Erza continued flying up the ceiling of the training room with him hunched over the the blunt end. She patted his cheeks with a sweet deadly smile as he looked at her with bleary eyes.

"This is going to hurt. A lot."

Natsu yelled out in pain as Knightwalker slammed him into the ceiling of the room with her lance , cracking it in a crater like circle that was close to making a new hole. The round hilt dug deep into his stomach that he felt that it was going to stab through him. The scarlet haired woman grinned seeing the weak hurt look in the pink haired boy's eyes. Not so tough now was he?

Ignoring the enormous pain in his stomach and swallowing back a glob of blood, Natsu moved his hands to grip the sadistic woman's. His hands lite with fire once he got a good hold on her, getting her to move her hand away from the lance in pain and letting him give a hard headbutt to her skull.

Falling back on her lance the Fairy Hunter was unprepared for the flaming fist that slammed into her stomach, "_**Karyu no Tekken(Fire Dragon's Iron Fist)**_!"

She was sent flying into one of the lemon colored columns holding up the room a second later by the devastating blow to her abdomen that almost broke a few ribs in the process.

A plum of smoke exploded out from Knightwalker's collision with the column giving Natsu a moment to breath. Feeling something come up his throat, he spat a glob of blood down to the hole he had blown up to get here. It was going to take a good while before that ever reached the bottom floor. Looking down at his attire, Natsu grimaced noticing his vest reduced into nothing but bloody rags before moving to take them off. Tossing them down, he made sure he still had his lucky white scaled scarf still wrapped around him. He was going to need to wash that when he got back home.

"_**Meru Fosu: Ma kuken( Mel Force: Vacuum Fist)**_!"

Unprepared for the sudden surprise attack, Natsu was left to take the full blunt of an invisible ripple of wind the shape of a giant fist denting him into the ceiling. A soundless scream of pain left his mouth as the pressure of the attack nearly cracked every bone in his body. It was total agony.

Body going limp as the attack died away, Natsu began to fall down to a long drop. The flames keeping him afloat beginning to weakly flicker as he felt himself go into unconsciousness only to catch himself back up. He couldn't lose this time.

The flames enveloping his limbs roared back to life as he looked down weakly at the heavily breathing scarlet leaning in against a caved in part of a column. He frowned sadly with one of his eyes drooping from his headbutt.

This wasn't about proving to Erza that he was just as strong as her anymore. No, he had forgotten about that the moment he found out Edolas Erza never had one person to call as nakama. He didn't know why, but it made him sad that she never had anyone to call a friend in her life. She wasn't lying when she had spat at him that she never hand one. She was speaking the honest truth. And it made him sad.

Holding back the vile of blood he was about to throw up, Natsu weakly sent a challenging smirk to the deadly Fairy Hunter who just as worse off as he did.

"Some fight, huh?" he smirked, wiping away some sweat from his bloody forehead.

Knightwalker, despite being bloody and bruised, smirked back, "As much as I hate you, I got to say, your strong. No one has ever damaged as much as you have. Hell, only Scarlet has ever put a scratch on me." she traced over the small scar the Earthland Erza had inflicted a while back, "I wonder, who's stronger? You or Scarlet?"

"Heh. I'll let you now when I'm done beating you."

The redhead scoffed, "When your ten feet under the ground, I'll see who's stronger. When I'm done with you, Scarlet's next."

"You'll have to get through me first."

"Planning to."

Both glared at each other before they shot towards each other with jets of fire and rings of shock waves.

Back and forth the two dashed at each other with fists and kicks mixed in with their charges. A resonating shock wave blew from each other from as they collided fists. Dashing back in the air, they began shooting blasts of fire and shock waves that only tore apart their surroundings even more, the training room starting to resemble more of a war zone then a practice area. The room began to crumble as it couldn't take the heavy attacks being thrown out inside of it anymore. The air space around themselves began to look like a fireworks show as their projectile attacks began to collide with each other, blowing up in showers of fire and wind.

It was like a deadly beautiful dance in the air. The aerial battle was truly worthy of an audience. But the only ones that could enjoy the battle at hand were too busy fighting it out to the death. Another shock wave from fists meeting knuckle to knuckle pushed them back from each other before they went back to trading blows and spells.

Passing by a falling column that crumbled the remaining part of the training room's floor, Natsu sent a flurry barrage of flaming fists at Knightwalker which she struggled to weave through before catching her off guard with a fainting upper cut only to kick her in her deeply bruised stomach. The kick sent her flying down towards the bottom floor of the castle that they had originally started fighting at with a loud boom that he could hear from up the crumbling room.

Erza gasped in pain as she struggled to get back up from the devastating kick that sent her plummeting to the bottom floor. Bastard, that was a cheap shot. Leaning on her her Ten Commandments lance for support, Knightwalker glowered up at the Dragon mage still floating up high above the castle. Blood trickled down her chin as she readied her lance for one last attack against the Dragon Slayer.

"This end's now, Dragon Slayer!" she shouted up to Natsu as a wild wind began to whip around her from the immense build up of magic in her weapon. She needed to end this now before she ended up too hurt to hunt down the other fairies.

"Bring it Erza!" Natsu grinned as he began to use up the last drops of magic he had left. He was definitely going to be empty after this.

Finished up building enough energy for her last attack, Knightwalker spun her lance one last time before thrusting the glowing white spear head towards the Dragon Slayer with a shout.

"_**Mesu Fosu: **__**Kohai no yari(Mel Force: Devastation Spear)**_!"

A glowing white shock wave vacuum the shape of spear, shot out from Knightwalker's lance, twice the size of her body with a wild wind spinning around it like a tornado at Natsu. The attack tore apart the everything that got in it's way, reducing rubble into shredded dust in the wind as it shot up like a bullet.

Seeing the upcoming attack close in on him, Natsu decided it was time he unleashed his final attack to block against Knightwalker's.

"_**Metsuryū Ōgi:Guren Rasen Ken Hon(Dragon Slayer's Secret Art:Crimson Lotus:Spiraling Sword Horn)**_!"

Dragging out the last bits of magic in his system, Natsu ignited his whole body with orange-red fire before rapidly spinning himself like a drill till a sharp scorching tip was produced where his head would be. Still in a rapid spin, Natsu shot down to meet Knightwalker's attack head on. This was going to really hurt.

Erza's eyes widened in shock at seeing the idiot try to meet her attack head on. Fool! Devastation Spear was one of her Velocity Spears strongest attack. It would tear him apart.

The two attacks struck. Waves of fire and wind tore apart the last of their battle ground as the spells began to fight for complete dominance over each other. Stone was chipped, rubble reduced to ash, and walls crumbled from the deadly fight of fire and wind magic. Knightwalker struggled to fight back against the spiraling blade of fire meeting her attack head on.

This was insane! He was actually pushing back one of her Ten Commandments most powerful attacks? It was impossible. How could he muster up enough strength to match her spell? He should injured be way more then her. He shouldn't be able to even stand!

The ground under the great Fairy Hunter began to crack until she was left standing in a big crater produced from the power of Natsu's spiraling blaze. Her attack began to flicker causing her eyes to widened in alarm before it pushing the very last amounts of magic stored in her lance to push back his attack.

What happened next, resulted in a big boom.

Literally.

* * *

BOOOOOM!

Pausing as they all felt the castle shake from a large explosion, the Fairy Tail mages stopped to look at the direction of the explosion with worried gazes.

"Erza? Was that-" Lucy began to ask in worry before being cut off by the Titania.

"He'll be fine." she sternly answered as she began calmly walking through the halls of the castle to find King Faust, " Right now we got to focus on stopping that madman from crashing the giant lacrima into Extalia. Now hurry up! We don't have much time now."

Frowning at the answer, Lucy was about to protest before a negative shake from Gray stopped her. As much as she wanted to make sure Natsu was alright, they had something more important to do.

_'You better be alright, Natsu' _Erza thought worriedly, _'Or I swear, I'll find a way to bring you back from the dead just to send you back into the ground for lying to me.'_

Smoke wavered from the explosion as one figure could be seen standing over the other with lance in hand. The figure hesitated before finally striking down at the the other figure lying on the ground in defeat.

_Clang!_

Natsu sighed in relief now that the fight was over. He leaned over the Ten Commandments lance from Erza Knightwalker as she lay defeated on the ground infront of him. That last spell really took a lot out of him. He winced as he looked over his wounds. Hopefully when he found Wendy, she could use her wind Dragon Slayer magic to heal him back up.

Knightwalker stared hollowly up at the Dragon Slayer. He beat her. He actually beat. And it was no fluke either. To think, an idiot like him could actually match her in strength and defeat her in battle.

"What are you waiting for?" Erza whispered softly in bitter defeat, "Kill me. I'm a broken too now. The only honorable fate for me for being defeated by someone stronger then me, is death."

"Heh?"

"Tch." she weakly scoffed, "You really are an idiot. Just hurry up and finish me off. I got nothing left to live for."

Natsu frowned confusingly at the downed scarlet, "What the hell are you talking about? You got plenty to live for! With your kind of strength, I bet you could do anything!" he shouted encouragingly with a wide grin.

"Fool. I'm soldier under his majesty, King Faust, I have no other purpose once I'm defeated. Besides, no one would miss." she smiled sadly.

"That's not true. What about your nakama?"

Knightwalker laughed, "What nakama? I thought I told you I never had one"

" Yeah, I know. But didn't I say I'd be your nakama?"

" . . . What?"

Natsu grinned seeing that he had finally got to her, " Yup! Whether you like it or not, your my nakama and I'm not going to let you die just because you lost once! No matter what, I'm going to make sure you'll be alright. Because that's what nakama's do." he grinned cheerfully getting a blush out of the scarlet haired women, "We take care of each other and share each others pain."

"And how are going to do that?" she asked weakly.

His answer, was to wrap a special something around her neck.

"I'll be back, Erza. In the mean time keep this safe,"

"Were are you-" she frowned confusingly before all she saw was black.

Natsu pulled back his fist from Knightwalker's stomach before gently laying her against a fallen pillar near by.

"I'll be back, Erza. I promise." he grinned before he began running out of the broken down room.

First he needed to find Wendy to heal both their wounds. Then they could stop Faust from whatever the hell he was planning. Till then, Erza was just going to have to wait for him. Hopefully she'd still be their when he returned.

For the first time ever since being orphaned as a young child and being sent to a military academy to become a pawn for the country, Erza Knightwalker slept in peace. Her head unconsciously snuggling deeper into the white scaled scarf wrapped warmly around her neck.

* * *

**It is three in the fucking morning! Goddammit, I've been writing all day now. I hope you all appreciate this cause I'm going to bed like the dead.**

**It was really fun writing this chapter. Especially the fight scene. Hopefully this chapter was good enough for you all. And sorry for any mistakes. I'm too tired to fix any.**

**Remember, review please. It's common curtesy.**

**NeoShadows fading out.**


	3. Hell's Amusement Park

**Hello my faithful readers! NeoShadows is back with another chapter of A Story of a Dragon, a Knight, and a Fairy Hunter.**

**Sorry it took so long to post this thing up. I've been busy all week with finals and looking for work. I was actually going to post this up on saturday, but I was busy with my dog who had her eye messed up by another big dog.**

**Forgive me and enjoy the story.**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Fairy Tail. It belongs to Hiro Mashima. I wish I could draw manga. I got an awesome idea for a manga I've been writing in my Journals. Sadly, The World After You is going to have to stay in paper for now. **

**Curse these damn hands of mine!**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Hell's Amusement Park.**

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Running through the halls of the castle, Lucy frowned, the sounds of battle that could be heard a mile away fading away with the last big boom that shook the entire castle. The fight between Natsu and Knightwalker must of finally ended. She bit her lip worriedly. Was Natsu okay? He didn't lose. . . did he? No, that was impossible. He was Natsu. He always came out ontop.

Still though, she couldn't help but worry about the pink haired Dragon Slayer. He was fighting a powerful opponent. Lucy's eyes wandered to Erza, feeling her worry only grow. The way she had seen Knightwalker fight Erza like they were on even ground scared her. There was no denying that Erza was strong, she was an S-class mage for a reason, one of the top mages in Earthland. If Knightwalker was able to keep up with the Titania without breaking a sweat, then Natsu was in for a world of hurt.

He had never truly beaten Erza after all. The two had fought several times before and Erza was always able to beat him without too much of a hassle. Atleast, that's what she had been told by her guild mates and Gray. She had never really seen the two fight before besides the time they had fought after the Lullaby incident with the dark guild Eisenwald. But that had only been for a bit before Erza was taken away by a council messenger for all the destruction they had caused while on the mission. And Natsu being Natsu had followed after the Titania as she was being taken away to the councils headquarters before busting into their court chambers as they were sentencing Erza to take away the blame.

Lucy giggled silently remembering how Erza had told her how he had tried to take away the blame. Apparently, he had thought dressing up in a sorry excuse of an Erza costume made out of various objects from his home and a scarlet red wig would fool them into believing he was the real Erza. Surprisingly, his plan had failed and backfired on the both of them. What a shocker.

_'Now that I think about it, Natsu's always seemed to be protective of Erza.' _and he was always trying to prove himself to her too. It was almost as if he saw her as some sort of idol. Thinking back on it, she could recall a number of times he had also shown he was very protective of her since only joining Fairy Tail the last few months.

The Tower of Heaven and the Nirvana incidents were clear signs of just how protective he was of her. He had beaten Jellal, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, into a bloody pulp for what he had done to Erza. He had made her cry, and that was enough to make him risk his life with eating the lacrima from Etherion. A magic substance that was made of much more different types of magic energy besides fire. The idiot could of died from the foreign magic that might as well of been poison entering his system. But in the end, he had absorbed the foreign magic and proceeded to beat Jellal within an inch of his life later.

And during the mission to take down one of the big three dark guild made up of the Ballum Alliance, the Oracion Seis, he had nearly gone ballistic with rage at finding out that Jellal was still alive and somewhere around them. Apparently, Natsu still had a strong grudge against the former wizard saint, even when he had found out he had amnesia. Which was really surprising seeing as she had never seen Natsu to be the type who would hold a grudge. It wasn't until Jellal had been heavily wounded from taking an attack from Zero, the dark guild's head master, for Natsu, that he had come to forgive him and see him as a comrade.

She had to wonder, what was the relationship between her two teammates? It definitely wasn't along the lines of just friendship, it was way more deeper then that. Lucy nodded her head. Definitely not a brother and sister relationship either. It was little more deeper then that.

Did they like each other? She gasped in shocked realization. It couldn't be that! . . . Could it? They did care about each other pretty deeply. Not to mention they had similar personality's that fit each other too.

Lucy's face blushed as her head began to fill with images of the two realizing their love for each other before confessing to each other about their undying love for one another and proceeding to prove it with a hot kiss. The kiss slowly began to go further as their body's began to rub against each other, the air around them quickly beginning to turn hot as their body's sweated. Eventually the heat began to become too much for them, their clothes flying off to the floor as soft moans filled the room, their love going even further as Natsu started to take off his-

Gray stared oddly at Lucy as he noticed her begin to space off with a heavy blush on her face, mumbling 'your too young' and 'you two aren't even wearing protection'. That last one made the ice mage sweat drop as he began to move away from the blushing blonde. Yeah, he didn't want to know.

"Lucy!" shouted the Titania, snapping her out of her perverted thoughts, "Do you have any idea on how we can find the king? He'd have to be somewhere important. Any thoughts?" she asked quizzically.

Shaking back her thoughts on the scarlet haired woman and the pink haired Dragon Slayer, Lucy put up a finger to her chin in thought.

"I honesty don't know what to tell you Erza." the Stellar Spirit mage sighed, "They put the prison in a high place and made the courtyard's layout very confusing. Assuming this is a concentric type fortress, there should be something like a castle tower." she thought back to the structures back in Earthland, trying to compare them with each other only to fail, " Even their general castle structures are different from Earthland's, so I can't make the slightest guess on where the king might be."

"In short, this is a terrible building layout, right" Gray said flatly.

"Yep," she sighed, "As this goes, I wouldn't be surprised if there was an amusement park in the castle." the building was so mixed up, it really wouldn't surprise her if there was something as stupid as an amusement park mixed in together with the horrible palace layout.

Suddenly seeing Gray stop to look ahead of them with a look of shocked awe and Erza staring widely with cat like eyes, Lucy nervously stuttered, " Wah. . . What is it?"

Staring up ahead for herself, Lucy felt her eyes widened into white saucers as she stared at the shocking structure up ahead.

"Eh. . ." she said in a small voice before finally shouting, "EHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Glowing brilliantly with flashing bright lights, an amusement park stood infront of the Fairy Tail mages with dozens of dozens of different types of rides. Roller coasters, Ferris wheels, and even a couple of merry-go-rounds filled the park. How the hell was it possible to fit an entire amusement park inside a palace? Her guess was just some random shot in the dark! She didn't know she would hit the bull's eye.

"There's really. . . AN AMUSEMENT PARK!" she shouted in disbelief.

". . . Cool." Gray blinked.

"That is. . . amazing to say the least." Erza said in awe.

The eerie sound of a carnival melody got all three of the mages to turn to look inside the park to find a merry-go-round running by itself without anyone working the ride. As the ride ran, they were able to see a tall blond headed man riding the ride. The man had blue eyes with yellow hair in a pompadour style, his long side burns extending to his face with small amount of stubble on his cleft chin. He wore pink shiny armor with gold chain mail, a bronze belt, and black briefs. He also wore a white cape with the Edolas insignia on the back signaling to them he was part of the royal army like Knightwalker. They stared oddly at the strange man riding the childish ride with a weird smile, enjoying the ride as he stared back at them.

"Mmmmm. This is fun~." he sang as the ride continued to slowly spin him around on the plastic horse.

"HAHAH. No really, this is a lot of fun~. Mmmmm."

_'Creepy.'_ they all thought as they stared at the strange man before a loud sound sound caught their attention.

A giant viking ship from one of the parks rides came swinging towards them, it's wooden hull overshadowing them with it's enormous size, ready to squish them flat.

"HOLY SHIT!" Gray screamed in panic before grabbing Lucy by her waist and falling back to the ground. The hull missed as all three fairy's stared up at the ship. A joyful laugh entered their ears as they turned their attention to a figure standing on the wooden railing of the ship, grinning with a dark smile. He was a young man with yellow eyes, strange clock arrows replacing his eyebrow, and messy dark purple hair with one thick lock of white hair near the front right side; he also had rather long bangs that obscured his forehead. He wore a white uniform consisting of a long coat with gold trim and metal shoulder guards over matching pants and a dark green shirt, decorated with an olive green criss-crossing line pattern.

"You now all this fun magic," he said wistfully as as the mages glared at him, "is going to be disappearing really soon. Do you know how that makes me feel?" he sneered as he watched them get back up.

"We're going to obtain magic that last forever, no matter how we have to get it, right Hughes?" the blond man riding the merry-go-round darkly smiled.

"Sugarboy is right." Hughes smirked before his eyes gained an insane glint to them, "I must have it. And I won't let anyone get in my way."

'_Tch. Just what we needed.'_ Erza growled as they readied themselves for a fight, _'Distractions. Dammit! We don't got time for any of this!'_

"Oh? My, my, my, that sure is such a dark look you have right their Erza." blinked the purple haired man before grinning, "Or should I call you Earthland's Erza instead? I swear, you two look like twins, it's scary." he laughed.

Sugarboy sighed, "They won't go to their cells peacefully, will they?" he said with slight depression, un-sheathing his _**Rosa Espada( Rose Sword)**_.

Hughes rolled his eyes, " It doesn't matter," he scowled with disgust as he raised his magic wand, Command Tact to Erza, Lucy, and Gray, " We'll kill these otherworlders who don't know the worth of magic right here!" he shouted before a trail of sparkling yellow magic linked with the black orb attached to the viking ship. Hughes quickly jumped off the ride before moving the ship with his wand to attack the fairies.

"_**Komandotakuto: Baikingurasshu **__** (Command Tact: Viking rush)**_!" flicking his Command Tact to the three, Hughes sent the viking ship steam rolling through Erza, Gray, and Lucy. The viking ship crashed through everything that got in it's way, tearing wood and stone into rubble before slamming into the merry-go-round with a boom. Sugarboy flew out of the ride just in time as the ship slammed into it, the horse he was riding on coming off as it crashed.

As the dust and flying rubble of the attack faded away, Hughes stared with astonishment at the shield of ice in shape of a flower blocking his attack as the ship fell apart. Was this the power of Earthland magic. Magnificent.

"A shield of ice?" he whispered in awe before the scarlet haired women glowed in a light of magic, her armor changing into a new one. Plated armor covered her chest, with a large metal flower over it, and she wore a large billowing skirt that had metal plating in the upper area. Her stomach and neck were uncovered, and she had large metal wings that appeared to be made of individual blades, as well as a wing-like headpiece.

"I don't have time for you foolishness!" she shouted as she spun a few swords around her with her telekinesis, "NOW DANCE MY BLADES! _**Tenrin: Sakururen Sodo**__** (Heaven's Wheel: Circle Sword)**_!"

The swords spun rapidly around Erza before shooting towards Hughes in a disc formation in a glowing deadly blue wheel of silver. Hughes eyes widened in shock at seeing the Titania's type of magic. Telekinesis?

Realizing the spell was starting to get closer towards him, Hughes swiped his Command Tact infront of him, dragging a concession stand to block the circle of swords from slicing him in half. The stand was reduced into splinters as Hughes moved away from the passing disc before ducking under an axe swing from a muscular humanoid cow wearing a black speedo. He sweatdropped seeing the cow look over the blonde haired girl with hearts in his eyes as it stared at her big breasts.

"MOOO~! Ms. Lucy, might I say, your breasts are impressive as always!" he whistled while making grabbing motions towards Lucy's chest who stared back at her summon with an embarrassed blush.

"Taurus!" she shouted while covering up her breast from the perverted summon, "Stop eying my breasts and fight already!"

"R-Right!" stuttered the celestial spirit before turning his eyes back to the messy purple haired boy.

"Interesting." Hughes stared at the strange bull with interest before looking back at it boredly, " I'm bored. Your boring. Go away you useless cow." he grinned with glee before sending the spirit flying with a swinging guillotine ride to it's side.

"Taurus!" she shouted in worry as she watched her spirit go back to the celestial realm to recover. Roller coaster tracks suddenly appeared under her feet before she stared wide eyed at the roller coaster barreling it's way towards her.

"_**Komandotakuto: Jigoku no jettokosuta**__** (Command Tact: Hell's Roller Coaster)**_!" catching the well endowed blonde haired girl in his ride, he strapped her in before sending her for a ride a wild ride.

"Lucy!" Erza shouted in alarm as she watched her friend get caught by Hughes attack. She tsked before making a step towards Hughes only to frown as the ground under her sucked her foot in. Hearing an annoying hmm from the blond man standing aside from them, Erza glared as he smiled smugly with his hands on his chin.

"What the hell is this!" the ground under began to suck her up to her waist as she shouted.

"Magic?" Gray frowned.

"Again." Erza spoke scathingly with anger, "We don't have time for any of this bull crap! We got to save the others!" spreading Heavens Wheel armor's steel wings, Erza took off from the quicksand like floor before flying towards Lucy with her blades ready.

"Oh, how cruel." sighed Sugarboy as he swiped his blade to the side, "I thought the two of you were friends? How could she leave you to die before my hands so coldly?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" smirked Gray before a cold aura surrounded both his fists, "I can get out just fine by myself! _**Aisu Meiku: **__**Fukku o gurappuringu(Ice Make:Grappling Hook)**_!"

Chained hooks of ice shot out from both of Gray's hand, latching onto the far sides of a few buildings and raising him up high in the air as he was freed with a pop. He grinned smugly down at Sugarboy who looked up at him with curiosity.

"If you had that kind of magic, couldn't you of gone to save your little girly friend yourself?"

"But then who'd kick your ass?" raising his hands back, Gray swung a deadly scythe made of cold hard ice down towards the the pink armored man, "_**Aisu Meiku: Shi Kama(Ice Make:Death Scythe)**_!" he roared.

"Cold . . ." he muttered as he calmly stared at the deadly scythe coming his way. Sugarboy arrogantly closed his eyes as he swung his wide blade at the scythe, the attack turning into soft liquid as he pulled his cape over like a matador.

Gray's eyes widened in shock as he watched his spell turn into soft mush, his hands frozen from their swing on the cold scythe. How the hell was that possible? His scythe should of hit it's mark!

"Cold. This is ice magic, right?" Sugarboy asked questioningly, "Hmm. It seems I have the advantage." he gestured towards his sword that had a red rose guard with a wide blade, three lacrima crystals embedded in it's blade, "This is the magical weapon, _**Rosa Espada(Rose Sword)**_. It can make anything soft or limp with my intention. Too bad, too bad." he smiled as Gray glared hatefully.

* * *

"AAAAHHH!" Lucy screamed as the roller coaster trapping her spun in several large loops that dropped her down from the sky. She screamed again as the coaster fell towards the ground in an alarm rate, only a few feet away from turning her into a bloody stain on the ground. Before the coaster could touch the ground, it swerved upwards into another series of loops that made Lucy's head dizzy. She swore to god, when this was all over, she was never stepping foot near another amusement park again.

"Lucy!"

"E-Erza?"the blonde dizzily mumbled as she watched as a scarlet blur shoot towards her. Gripping onto the out of control ride as it passed by, Erza re-equipped back into her standard armor as she got a hold of Lucy.

"Come on Lucy! Let's get you out of this thing!" she grunted as she tried prying off the safety belt holding her in. But, no matter how hard she pulled, the safety belt wouldn't budge an inch. Dame, how tight were these things?

Hughes smiled coldly as he watched the mage try to release her friend from his coaster. Might as well give her what she wanted.

Hugging the stunned Titania as they began to fall into a steep drop into into a lake, Lucy let out one last girlish scream as they were engulfed in water.

"AAHAHAHAHA!" Hughes laughed as he watched them drop into the pool of water. It was hilariouse! They screamed like such girls.

Pulling themselves out of the watery crash, Lucy sighed in relief as the nightmarish ride was finally over. Erza squirted out a jet of water from her mouth as she glared distastefully at the ride. Great, now her armor was all wet.

"Hey! Look at this!"laughed messy purple haired man, pointing to a jumbo screen with their picture displayed on it.

Lucy stared at the . . . 'thoughtful' picture of her and Erza falling into the pool of water with funny expressions. Lucy was hugging onto Erza for dear life with ghost white eyes the size of saucers with comical tears and Erza looked like a wide eyed cat with her mouth opened in a silent scream as Lucy hugged onto her neck. How the hell did he even get a picture of them?

Erza stared blankly at the photo, not making a move till she looked over at Hughes with the same blank expression.

". . . How much for a photo?" she asked curiously, shocking Lucy.

"WHAT!"

"2400 Jewels."

"Damn! I only have 2000 Jewels with me."

"Tough luck." he shrugged before looking back at them with a smile, "Awesome though, right? This is Edolas magic. And they say this wonderful magic will soon run out. Unthinkable, isn't it?' his smile soon turned cold as the brightness in his eyes faded away, "That's why the sacrificing of both your comrades and the exceed is necessary. So that our wonderful magic doesn't die away."

Lucy frowned deeply. They were all willing to sacrifice innocent lives just so that they could rain infinite magic onto their land? And they were the one's calling them selfish for not knowing the value of magic. They didn't even know the value of a human life. Natsu would be furious if he heard what Hughes just said.

"That's it? Your willing to kill all our friends and the exceed for a rain of limitless magic?" Erza scoffed in disgust, "Your all nothing but greedy thief's, stealing other peoples gifts just because you don't have any. Scum like you will get what they deserve in the end. Nothing."

"Oh?" Hughes grinned with a mad twitch in his left eye, " Well we'll see about that once your lying in pool of your blood. Their are only four of you left. Once I'm done with you two and Sugarboy's done with the black spiky haired boy there, they'll be no left to stand in our way." he grinned.

"Wrong!"she shouted getting Hughes to quirk a eyebrow curiously at the scarlet's loud cry, "Even if were all defeated, theirs still Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel left to take you all down. And their all strong." she grinned smugly up at the lacrima user, "Especially Natsu. Once he finds out what your all planning to do with all our friends and the exceed, he'll come charging in here to kick all your asses."

"You mean the three Dragon Slayers that were all recently said to be deceased?"

". . . .What?"

Hughes grinned more widely seeing the worry and disbelief in the Titania's eyes, "Yup! All three Dragon Slayers are as good as dead. That little girl Dragon Slayer was found flying towards Extalia which will soon be nothing but a bomb of infinite magic soon. And Pantherlily had just flown up to the giant lacrima to to take down the other Dragon Slayer that was said to of reached the flying island. As for your friend, Natsu," he laughed cruelly while holding his sides, "He's definitely dead! Knightwalker has never lost a fight in her life! She's this kingdom's strongest warrior, there is no way that your friend can beat her. She's a monster in human form. She'll stop at nothing to kill her mark." he sneered.

_'I don't believe it!I won't believe it! Their not dead. Natsu promised me he wouldn't lose! So he has to be alright.'_the Titania's mind was in shambles. She knew he was lying, it was an old strategy to bring down your opponents morals so that they would be too distracted to fight back. But still, the chances that Natsu might of got seriously wounded in his fight with Knightwalker. . .

"Erza!" snapping out of her thoughts, Erza turned towards Lucy as she brought her out of her worried state.

"He's going to be alright. Remember, that's what you told me and Wendy to calm us down. He's going to be alright, believe in him." she smiled with a determination that surprised the Titania.

'Your. . . starting to grow, Lucy.' Erza thought proudly. Here she was, worrying about Natsu, while Lucy didn't listen to a damn thing the 3rd captain commander said about their friends being dead. No, instead she listened to her heart and it was telling her that they were all alright. Erza smiled. She was right, Natsu was going-no, was alright.

"Thank you, Lucy." she said with a warm smile before changing back into her Heavens Wheel armor, "Now let's get this over with. The boy's are probably lost without us by their sides."she smirked.

"Right!" Lucy happily nodded, glad that Erza was back to normal. Finally noticing that she was in a pool of water, Lucy came up with an idea.

Taking out a golden key with the Aquarius sign on the handle, Lucy began to call upon her magical summon to fight.

"Open the gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!" bathed in golden light, Lucy called upon the water bearer from the celestial realm. A mermaid-like Celestial Spirit with a long blue fish-tail, large breasts, and a revealing bikini top wearing two gold armlets, and a jewel circlet on her forehead appeared out of thin air.

Seeing Lucy summon the water spirit made Erza think of an idea.

"Lucy. I think I got the perfect move to take this guy out with." she grinned, moving her hand towards the celestial mage.

Seeming to of understand what Erza was thinking of, Lucy grabbed Erza's hand in her own. Holding both their hands together, the two Fairy Tail mages began to build up magical power, a strong gust of wind whipping around them as they concentrated.

_'Eh? What's this?'_ Hughes frowned in confusion as he felt the strong build up of magic across from the girl, _'This is new. I don't think I've ever felt anything like this before. It's almost as if they were fusing together their-'_ his eyes snapped wide open in panic realizing what they were doing.

They were fusing their magic together for an attack.

The water in the pool surrounding them to float around them in a big wave, roaring as the build up of magic caused the water to move wildly around the two mages. Both Erza's and Lucy's eyes were closed as they focused with the water in around them and the vase in Aquarius's arms who also had her eyes closed in concentration with her summoner. Blades of water shaped from the floating waves, nearly fifty in total as they levitated around the celestial spirit who moved her urn back to unleash the uncontrolled torrent housed in the vase.

"_**Yunizun Reido: Chimei-tekina Mizu no Kushizashi(Unison Raid: Deadly Water Impalement)**_!" they both shouted in unison with magic glowing in their eyes. A giant wave of water shot out from Aquarius's urn, mixing in with the blades of water, transforming into a deadly tidal wave of blades that came roaring towards Hughes.

"OH NO! WHAT _WILL_ I DO!" he shouted in panic before waving his wand at the spell coming towards him, "Oh, I know." he grinned, "I'll just take control of the water, duh."

Waving his Command Tact to the roaring wave of aqua blades, Hughes dispersed the spell into his own wave of water that he sent crashing towards the two well endowed woman.

'_Dammit! I thought that would work!'_ Erza though as she and Lucy were hit by the wave of water. The water sent them crashing into one of the attractions near by with a scream as the water hit them.

"Kyaaaaaah!"

"Did I forget to tell you fools?" Hughes grinned darkly as he watched the wave recede back into the pool with a sneer, " In this amusement park, I can use anything as a weapon."

* * *

"Over here! I think I see the captain up ahead!"

Running footsteps were the first thing Erza Knightwalker recognized as she began to awake from her sleep. She frowned as she noticed she couldn't really remember what happened to cause her sleep when she was suppose to be fighting Natsu.

Her eyes suddenly snapped wide open, feeling a warm scarf wrap itself around her neck as the memories began rushing back to her.

She had lost. Fair and square to a boy younger then her who possessed unbelievable strength behind that happy grin of his. Who possessed a magic so warm and gentle, yet scorching and deadly. A Dragon Slayer. She had lost to a Dragon Slayer.

No. She shook her head as she got up, ignoring the bruises and burns all over her.

She didn't lose to a Dragon Slayer. She had lost to Natsu Dragneel. Someone who called himself her nakama even though she had tried to kill him and his friends. Knightwalker gingerly touched the white scaled scarf wrapped around her neck protectively, feeling an odd foreign warmth in heart as she thought back to the spiky rose haired boy.

Nakama. He had actually called her his nakama.

Knightwalker suddenly hissed as she looked over her wounds, holding back tears from the pain of the burns.

Yeah, it was the pain. From the burns. Not because of anything else. Not because she finally had someone who called her nakama.

"Erza-sama!" a group of soldiers cried out as they found their leader standing in a war zone with multiple wounds all over her.

Hearing the soldiers call out to her, Knightwalker wiped away the dampness in her eyes before glaring at the trio of soldiers running up to her.

"What do you fools want?" she said coldly, switching back into her regular personality. If they saw how weak she was, she'd never live it down.

The soldiers shivered at the Fairy Hunter's annoyed tone before continuing, "We were told to investigate the cause of destructive activity in the west tower of the building by King Faust who was annoyed with the constant explosions blowing up almost every minute." the senior member of the group stated as he stood infront of Erza.

"Hmm. I see." she nodded, "Well you can tell his majesty that everything's alright now. The culprit ran off minutes before I got here and blew up the training tower. I don't were he went off to though. So you won't be finding the culprit anytime soon." '_What the hell am I doing? I know who did it and I know were he went off to. Why am I lying?'_

It was obvious. She didn't want them to find Natsu. The idiot had done something to her while they were fighting. He had dug himself into her head and now she couldn't stop herself from lying to her men on were they could find the Dragon Slayer.

He was her nakama after all.

"Alright, Erza-sama." the soldier nodded believing the Fairy Hunter's every word without question, "What do we do next?"

Knightwalker smirked as she moved past the grunts out the room, fixing the odd the white scaled scarf they had never seen before on her neck to a more comfortable position.

"I don't know about you fools, but I'm going to get healed by the medics at the medic room before getting my spare Ten Commandments and going back to my fairy hunting."

"Understood! But, what do we do if we encounter any of the fairies"

Knightwalker shrugged, "You can try to kill them if you want. I don't care. Just as long as you leave the pink haired one to me." she glared darkly at them with nothing but bad intentions behind her brown stone cold eyes, "If any of you fools so much as lay a finger on him, I swear, I'll torture you all until your all begging me to end the suffering. Make sure you rely the message to everyone in the units. I will not repeat myself." she warned them as she left the ruined tower. Leaving them all cowering beneath her wrath.

She wasn't done with Natsu. Not by a long shot. The scarf wrapped around her neck made sure of that.

* * *

Frowning as she woke up from getting hit with the tidal wave, Erza Scarlet woke up drenched in her armor, laying on a the open palms of a Frankenstein like monster. Looking around the room, Erza saw that it was decorated like a classroom for monsters. Rows of desks lined against each other, each row filled with various types of monster dolls sitting in the seats facing forward to the front of the class. Seeing a lack of long blonde hair around the classroom, Erza shouted.

"Lucy! Where are you!"

"Erza? I'm over here! Can you get me out!"

Hearing the celestial mages voice down the classroom, Erza turned her eyes down towards the classroom where she heard Lucy's voice only to see nothing but a caramel coffin infront the classroom.

"Are you in their, Lucy!" she shouted as she jumped down towards the coffin.

"Yeah, now hurry up and get me out of here! It feels really weird in here."

Walking towards the coffin, Erza moved over it's lid only to stare wide eyed at her friend.

"Why are you staring at me like that Erza?" Lucy asked with a bit of nervousness in her voice. Looking down at her attire, she could see why Erza was staring at her.

"W-What the hell is am I wearing!" she shouted as she looked down at the sexy genie costume she was wearing that revealed much of her skin.

"That's odd." Erza said with a stern expression.

"What is?"

"I have the same costume designed as armor back at home. Strange isn't it?"

". . . . Yeah." Lucy sweatdropped, "It's really eerie." looking at the side of the coffin, Lucy's eyes caught sight of a label for the strange costume changing coffin, "The complete transformation box. Let's get beautifully transformed and depart for fairy tail land together." she read before frowning, "What the hell kind of machine is this! Is this a machine for kid's or adult's! Cause I don't feel like I'm going to a fairy tale land, I feel like I'm going to perform at a strip club!"

"I think it looks good on you."

"I know it does." she sighed before waving her arms around with an angry pout, "But I just can't help but feel dirty while wearing this! I can. . . feel an breeze were I shouldn't." she blushed.

Erza quirked an eyebrow, "I don't understand."

"Forget it! Look, there's a dial next to the coffin to change me back. So hurry up and press it."

Erza shrugged, pressing one of the dials of the machine that shut Lucy back in with a click. She honestly liked the costume. If they had time after all this was over, she just might sneak back in her and take the transformation box.

. . .And they said Lucy was the cosplay princess. Well is she was the princess, then Erza was the freaking Queen.

Unfortunetly, the machine must of lost Lucy's original clothes since it kept swithing her into different kinds of sexy outfits with every press of the dial, each one more revealing and embarrassing then the last. By the end of it, her face was burning red in embarrassment. Who the hell came up with this machine? A pervert!

"Where are you , Earthland mages?"

Erza stopped pressing the dials as she heard Hughes voice close to the classroom, leaving Lucy dressed in a blue one piece bikini with a floaty.

"Why'd you stop?" Lucy pouted, looking at Erza with red cheeks.

"I heard Hughes voice. He must of found were we are." she frowned.

"What!" Lucy cried with embarrassment, moving back into the transformation machine, "Then hurry up and change me back! I can't fight him dressed like this!"

Looking back at Lucy, an idea began to form in the Titania's head, one that would not fail!

"E-Erza?" Lucy stuttered suddenly seeing a dangerously sweet smile pop out of the redheads face.

"I got an idea." Erza creepily smiled, slowly stalking towards the fearful celestial mage that backed away into a corner.

" . . . Help?" she squeaked.

* * *

Hughes growled, walking into the wet, damp monster academy. Variouse soaked school supplies lay scatterd around the room, completely ruined from the big wave of water that sended the Earthland mages into the attraction. Of all the places they had to get washed into, it had to be his favorite spot in the amusement park. When he found them, he was going to make sure they payed.

"Tsk. Getting washed away so flashily. Who the hell do they think they are?" Hughes scoffed, looking back and forth for the female mages till a teasing voice caught his ear.

"Hey there~!" the messy purple haired boy with a white streak turned towards the sexy teasing voice, his eyes staring at the hot, sexy, blonde haired girl wearing a summer two piece bikini that completmented the girl's hour glass curves, bountiful chest, and silkly smooth legs.

Lucy winked at the stunned magic weapon user, blowing a kiss for added affect as she posed.

". . . " Hughes continued to stare at the sexy blonde posing for him with a blank stare. Not moving an inch until he raised up his magic wand at the girl.

"Boring."

"W-What?" Lucy blinked dumbfounded.

Next thing she knew, a hoard of student monsters began to jump at her with intent to rip her to shreds.

"Hey! Watch were your hands are grabbing at!" she shouted in fear as she began running from the hoard of perverted monsters.

"Dame. I was sure that would work." Erza silently cursed before swiping her sword at a reaching monster. Must of sneaked up on her while she wasn't paying attention.

"So that's were you ran of to!"

"Shit!" slicing in half a goblin like monster that jumped at her, Erza began dodging gray silver blurs running back and forth around her in hopes of shredding her into pieces.

"You can't hide from me in here." Hughes tsked as he walked towards the dodging mage, watching her with amusement as she tried to avoid the claws of the attackers, "I have complete control of everything in this park. From the little shops to the giant Ferris-wheel, it's all under my control. There's no use fighting, you'll only delay your own death." he grinned.

"Just like your Dragon Slayer friend, you never had a chance. Poor bastard, he must have been mutilated by Knightwalker, she never did like weaklings"

"SHUT UP!" Erza snapped, her body glowing once again as she switched into her Heaven's Wheel armor, shredding the werewolf's trying to pick at her body like they were nothing. Her eyes were furiouse, glowing with anger as she stared down the ignorant boy with rage.

"You can say what you want about me, I don't care, but," she glared darkly at the amused boy, " NEVER, CALL, NATSU WEAK!" she roared before sending countless of blades flying at Hughes.

Hughes grinned mockingly as he swiped his wand to the left, a wall of steel rising up to block the attack shooting towards. The swords pierced through the steel like it was paper, missing Hughes as he commanded some monsters to take the hit for him. He jumped back from the barrage of steel, only to have to duck a slash towards his chest from the scarlet haired women.

Oh, your good." he said impressively, dodging the Titania's strikes to his body with difficulty, "If I had never had to train with Knightwalker, then you would have had me by now. Too bad for you, I had actually learned a thing or two about fighting with blades from the 2nd captain." the walls around them exploded as a group of samurais charged in, each wielding deadly katanas in their hands.

Erza moved back from a quick swipe to her head, parrying two glinting strikes to her body before spinning more swords around her to block a head on charge from the samurais, each one grinding their blades as they clashed with the scarlet's.

"Welcome to my deadly attraction! _**Komandotakuto: Buredo no Meiyo Dansu (Command Tact: Honorable Dance of Blades)**_!"

Sparks flew as steel clashed with steel, surrounding her on all fronts, Erza slashed, blocked, dodged, and parried all the katanas of the samurai golems, sweating as they all came at her like a well oiled machine. Unlike the usual groups of grunts she fought, these samurais were well trained for combat, each seeming to have a mind of their own as they acted with smarts against every strike she sent their way, almost as if she was actually fighting a group of well trained swordsmen. The steel wings of her armor raised up to block two swords from cutting into her sides before unleashing the concealed blades inside the armor at the two samurai. Swinging her blade at another sword strike, Erza fought off two more golems as they came at her in a zig-zag charge to confuse her. The golems saw a blur of shining silver before having their midsections separated from their chest from the scarlet haired women. They crumbled to pieces, their katanas falling to the floor with a clang.

Before Erza could let out a sigh, three more golems came running at her with glowing yellow blades of light in hands. Slamming the blades of light towards the Titania, three tearing lines of energy rushed at Erza. She grit her teeth as she suddenly had two block the energy coming at her with two of her blades, being pushed back a bit from the power put behind the attack. She swatted away the lines of glowing magic before flying up high in the air to attack. Summoning more blades around her, Erza swung her sword at Hughes and his controlled dolls, sending her blades shooting down at them like gunfire.

"_**Tenrin: Shirubarein (Heavens Wheel: Silver Rain)**_!"

A rain of silver glowing swords rained down upon Hughes and his samurai, pelting half of them into rubble while handicapping the others. Luckily, he had called in a Frankenstein monster to stand infront of him to protect him from the deadly rain. It was just too bad that the Titania's spell was far stronger then the durability of his monster.

Swords pierced through the doll, stabbing into the amusement park controller, only piercing his skin a few inches as they were stuck inside his doll.

"Fuck!" he shouted,spitting out few drops of blood from internal bleeding. He glared up at Erza before he suddenly froze at the appearance of his most favorite attraction.

It was a complete wreck. Everything was torn apart from the downpour of blades, leaving the classroom a scrapped mess. His monsters were completely shredded, nothing but raggy golems that stood before him as they protected him from the onslaught of swords.

"T-The Monster Academy." he stuttered with blood flowing out his green shirt, "It's ruined. My haven is ruined." Hughes face was shadowed with uncontrollable rage, his anger pointing at the flying armored mage above him, "You ruined it! You completely ruined it!" his body glowed with magic from the lacrima in his wand as it responded to his rage, cracking the ground under him as he spat at the mage, "You'll pay. You'll fucking pay!"

Erza stared oddly at the raging malestorm of magic surrounding Hughes, puzzled at his sudden change in personality. He must of really loved this place to suddenly lose his temper.

The classroom around them blew up in a shower of splinters as multiple roller coasters tore though the room to attack Erza. Watching as she flew out of the way of the flying attractions, Hughes swiped both arms at her to pincer her in with the coasters. The rides coiled around the Titania like snakes, trying to constrict her before catching her in their grip and drilling around each other to slam her into the ground. Breaking free from her constriction, Erza quickly re-equipped into her Kongo no Yoroi(Adamantine Armor) just as the drilling coasters slammed her into thee ground.

The snake like coasters drew back, only to come back striking Erza deep into the ground. Over and over, the coasters struck, digging her deeper into the crater of their impact. She gritted her teeth as her shield absorbed the impact of the ride into her arms, rattling her the bones in her arm with each impact.

Hughes growled in annoyance as he saw his attack do nothing to kill the redhead. How could she have the strength to defend against his attacks? In here he was a god! He could do whatever he wanted with his Command Tact at his disposal. So why couldn't he kill one measly little fairy?

Drawing back his roller coasters, Hughes called over a giant guillotine like swing to smash through the girls defense. Unlike the other rides, this one was made by the finest steel in all of Edolas to withstand the wear and tear of mother nature. It was his ultimate execution tool.

"It's over girl." Hughes said coldly as the floating guillotine at his side spun like a mad disk, "For ruining my personal heaven, the only place I could be myself, my escape from the magic dying world, I will end your life here. May my heaven by your grave. _**Komandotakuto: Girochin Saigo(Command Tact: Guillotine End)**_!"

Erza stared wide eyed at the spinning execution blade flying towards her, moving up to re-equip into her Hisho no Yoroi(Flight Armor) to dodge the blade.

The guillotine struck the ground with a giant boom, kicking up smoke and rubble in it's wake as it tore apart the surrounding area with it's mad spin. Landing on a bumper cars ride, Erza had to quickly fly away from the dozens of electric cars shooting towards her before said ride was spit in half from the mobile execution blade chasing after her.

_'So he really can control anything in here. Dame, it just makes him all the more annoying.' _it was time to end all this foolishness. The more time she was caught up with Hughes, the less time she had to stop King Faust from turning all of Magnolia and Extalia into a bomb.

Switching into her Rengoku no Yoroi(Purgatory Armor), Erza heaved her giant stone like blade with black teeth like spikes jotting out of the blade to swing at the incoming spinning execution blade.

A giant shock wave of the two deadly blades meeting blew back everything around the amusement park, rubble and dust clouding the once joyful park, turning into a war zone from the two mages.

The durability of the guillotine didn't stand a chance against Erza's cleaver like sword, the spinning blade bouncing off, cracking into tiny little pieces.

Hughes scoffed. She could break as much rides as she wanted, but as long as he had his Command Tact he wouldn't lose.

A flying telekinetic sword unfortunetly ruined any plans of counter attack. The sword swiped at his chest, only to miss and hit his wand. Smashed into bits, the lacrima housing all his magical power rendered Hughes powerless as Erza took the chance to finish it.

"IT'S OVER!" she roared, her purgatory blade glowing an ominous midnight black as she built up magical power.

Hughes looked up in fear, his wand smashed to bits by the scarlet haired women dropping down towards him with a deadly blade of eerie magic.

"_**Rengoku: Jigoku Josho-en(Purgatory: Hell Rising Flames)**_!" striking the blade infront of Hughes, a rising pillar of purplish-black flames erupted out of the ground under Hughes, consuming him in a raging storm of flames hotter then hell it's self.

Hughes couldn't think of any words to describe the hellish flames burning him. It was a living hell he couldn't describe. Was this the power of Earthland's mages? It was unbelievable. The magical flames burned his skin and clothes, leaving him in rags as he dropped to his knee's.

The purgatory flames continued to rage for a few seconds more before finally diminishing into tiny little embers, still burning around him as he fell face first to the ground in a twitching mess. Hughes felt himself choke on his words from the pain of the spell, his skin a light shade of red from the burns.

Back in her regular hearts-kruez armor, Erza walked up to the defeated 3rd captain. Her every step ringing inside his ears, causing his body to shake in fear of the powerful mage that easily defeated him.

Erza sighed as she looked down at the twitching boy. She really did go over the top defeating him. Bringing out her Purgatory armor to finish him really crossed the line, "I hope you've learned your lesson. Trying to take our magic by sacrificing countless of innocent lives. How pathetic." she spat, "Instead of trying to sacrifice lives to revive your lands magic, you should be trying to come up with new ways of saving your land. Maybe even creating an alternate source of magic to run all your machines instead of lacrima crystals."

Hughes weakly glared from his spot on the floor, sweating from all the pain coursing all over his body, "S-Shut u-up! Y-You don't u-understand just how i-important m-magic i-is to us! J-Just because you defeated m-me, don't t-think i-it's all over! Your friends are as good as dead! Especially that pink Dragon Slayer friend of yours! Knightwalker tears weaklings like him apart like they were her breakfast!" Hughes shouted loudly, breaking into hysterical laughter a moment later, " He's dead~! Dead, dead, dead, DEAD~!" he sang before a heavy foot stomped into his stomach, blacking out a second later from the pain.

"Why couldn't he go out quietly?" she growled, stepping off the insane boy. As much as she believed in Natsu, she still couldn't help but worry about him. His fight was over between Knightwalker if the lack explosions in the west tower of the castle was anything to go by. But no one knew who exactly won the fight.

And Hughes last words before passing out left the Titania worrying.

_'No.'_ she furiously shook her head with a scowl, _'I shouldn't be worrying about him. He can take care of himself. He's always been able to handle himself.'_

Why was she even worrying about Natsu? Every other time he had gone of to fight against people beyond his league he always came out on top. She never had a reason to worry about him. He was a strong mage capable of handling things himself. So why was she worrying about him now?

The answer was simple. Ever since the end of the Oracion Seis, she started to see Natsu in a different light. As much as she had tried to denie it, she started to develop feelings for the fire Dragon Slayer as far back as the night of the Tower of Heaven, when he had saved her from Jellal. The annoying light of seeing him as a brave, handsome, strong, romantic, hero, distracted her during the first few weeks after he had saved her. She never left his side while he was in his Etherion induced coma, smoothing back his rosy locks of hair while she had laid him on lap.

It was like a small crush. And like all crushes, her feelings for Natsu would eventually fade away with time. Just like her crush with Jellal. It would fade away.

Erza was starting to see now that her feelings for Natsu weren't going to fade away. In fact, they seemed to be growing stronger, especially after the mess with the Balum Alliance. After she had come to terms with Jellal and buried the hatchet with him, her feelings for him had finally faded away. Even if he ever came to remembering his memory's, he wouldn't be the same man she had once fallen in love with anymore. He would be haunted by his past mistakes, almost like a dusk of what he use to be.

The man she had once loved was gone. But a new one was starting to slowly take his place in her heart. She just didn't realize it yet.

Erza sighed one last time before going on her way to find Lucy. Shaking back her thoughts for another time as she went to look for the stellar spirit mage before heading towards where she knew were Gray was fighting Sugarboy.

* * *

"I'm soooooo fucking tired!" whined Natsu as he ran through the halls of the castle with almost zero magic in his system. His body was seriouly killing him! His fight with Edolas Erza had really taken a lot out of him. As much as he wanted to take a rest, he needed to find the others so they could stop that King from doing whatever he was planning to do with his friends.

Tracing over where his scarf would be, Natsu frowned as he thought back to his new nakama.

How the hell was he going to explain this to Erza? Even if he had beaten her, Erza wouldn't be happy with him making friends with the enemy. She would probably beat some common sense into him for acting stupid.

But it wouldn't matter, he grinned. He was her nakama now, he would do anything for her, even take a beating from Erza. And when this was all over, he was going to make her join his guild! She could kick and scream all she wanted, but she was joining Fairy Tail, whether she wanted to or not.

Besides, Makarov wouldn't protest to the idea of another sexy scarlet haired girl joining their guild. The old man would probably pat him on the back for bringing in another beauty to the guild.

He smiled. He was going to bring her out of her loneliness even if it killed him.

. . . 5000 Jewels it probably will.

* * *

**Thank you for reading and reviewing. Sorry for the long wait. I was really excited to see a review from the author of Confusion, the story that got me to write A Story of a Dragon, a Knight, and a Fairy Hunter. Kuroyagi thanks for the review and helpful advice, it really made my day.**

**Also, i'd like to thank everyone who reviewed and corrected me on my mistakes. I never really noticed how much mistakes I made in the first two chapters. I'll repost them later this week with all the errors cleaned up for all the newer reads and you guys. You all made me realize I need a beta reader to look over my work. If any of you are good at spotting mistakes and fixing them, please PM me to help me out. Sometimes I'm too tired to look over my mistakes to correct them. So help would be great.**

**Oh! I almost forgot.**

**I already told another reviewer this, so it's only fair I tell you all this too. Once I reach 80 reviews or get to chapter five of this story, I'm going to make a Natsu x Cana story for the site. The idea's been jumping inside my head for awhile now and I got a perfect twist for it to make it a hell of alot more interesting.**

**For now, I'm tired. And I got finals tomorrow. I'll get started on the next chapter on Wensday so please be patient.**

**Remember to review. NeoShadows fading out.**


	4. Earth Moving Emotions

What's up folks? NeoShadows here with another chapter of The Story of a Dragon, a Knight, and a Fairy Hunter.

Is anyone else as pissed as I was when they found out about the sites banning of certain M fics? I don't get the big deal. Lemons are fine. Sure, if your still underage you shouldn't be reading them. That's why stories are rated K to M. Who would even complain about the lemons in M rated fics anyway? If this is because some little kids read something they should of them I'm going to have a BF. A Bitch Fit. And I'm a dude.

I'm going to see if their some kind of petition out their to stop the deleting of some M rated fics. Some of my favorite stories have lemons in them and that's only because they fit with the stories mood. If not, I'll make my own and spread the word out to the entire site. Not just the anime forums but the Tv forums, Cartoon forums, Video Game forums, and every other forum on the site. We got to stop this and I for one won't sit by as really good stories are deleted or as some of my favorite authors fear being deleted from the site.

Fuck the alternate site!This is my home and won't let it be ruined by some paranoid idiots!

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own the right's to Fairy Tail. It belong's to Hiro Mashima. I've only written this five times and already I'm starting to feel depressing that I don't own this manga. Maybe a few beers will help.

* * *

Chapter 4: Earth Moving Emotions.

* * *

A bloody coughing fit stumbled Gray, his body cut up from Sugarboy's Rosa Espada as he held a death grip on the key to his friends death and salvation. Icy spikes jotted out of the big key, keeping it in a shell of ice with both his and Sugarboy's hands trying to free the key. Currently, the tow were fighting over possession of the key, Gray more cut up then Sugarboy from the pink armored captains magical sword.

Sugarboy smirked towards the struggling mage, "No matter what you do, you won't win. You and I both know that we both need this key for our own reasons. You, to save your friends, and I, to rain down a shower of eternal magic onto my nation. Your useless magic can only delay the unpreventable from happening. And," he gestured to his hand, the ice covering it limping into soft ice mush, "My _**Rosa Espada(Rose Sword)**_ will only seal your eventual fate. You can't stop us." he smirked before aiming his sword at Gray's chest.

The ice mage frowned, catching the blade in his palm that began to freeze over. The ice limped into soft mush, the deadly blade beginning to cut through the soft slush only to be stopped by more ice.

Gray smirked, "You really are stupid aren't ya? I don't need this stupid key to save my friends." he said coldly, his breath turning into icy mist as the frozen half of the Dragon Cannon Key began to crack in the middle, "You don't seem to understand what were willing to go through to protect our nakama and the exceed!" a giant roar of chilling blue aura erupted out of Gray as everything around him began to freeze into ice, the key in both men's hands completely freezing over as the icy spikes tore into Sugarboy's pink armor.

_'Impossible! My Rosa Espada's magic is being canceled out by his magic?'_ the magic sword in Sugarboy's left hand began to crack as the Gray's magic crawled over the weapon. The cracks continued to spread until the weapon couldn't handle the foreign energy invading it, shattering into pieces a moment later. Sugarboy stared in shock at his magical weapon shattering in his hand, he sweated in panic seeing the bold, icy, black eyes of the Earthland mage look at him in blank anger.

"IT'S OVER!" he roared, the key in their hands shattering along with his ice magic.

Sugarboy stared at the broken pieces of the key to their endless magic in disbelief. The fool actually broke their key to his worlds salvation! He was dooming them all with that single reckless act of magic. He was damning them all! Anger got the best of him as he charged at the black haired boy with his broken sword in anger.

"You FOOL! Your damning us all into a living hell without magic! You bastard!" he shouted angrily, swinging his shattered blade at Gray. Gray moved away from the broken, yet still sharp, blade like it was child's play before swatting away the broken weapon, slamming an uppercut under Sugarboy's chin that sent him flying up in the air. Twin spikes of ice jutted out of his right elbow and left fist as he jumped up to meet the blond haired man in the air. He glared menacingly at the cowering man as they stayed afloat before unleashing a series of deadly aerial slashes that cut through Sugarboy's armor like scrap paper.

"I'm taking everyone back! Key or no key everyone's coming back! And you fools, who don't even understand the meaning one measly little life, won't get in our way! _**Hyoujin Nanarenbu(Seven Chain Gleaming Sword Dance)**_!" seven gleaming slashes tore through Sugarboy's durable armor, heavily injuring the blond haired man as he fell face flat on the ground. Blood leaked out his wounds, sweating from the wounds the ice mage dealt onto him.

Sugarboy glared heavily up at Gray as blood dripped down his chin, his eyes shaking in disbelief, "Your fucking crazy Iceboy, to think you'd actually. . . destroy the key! Even when I told you that you could save your friends with it!" he weakly tried to get up only to fall back down. His body was too weak to be getting back up in his condition. Sugarboy grit his teeth, to think some greedy mage actually defeated him.

Gray smiled, "I'm a mage who molds ice," he said with pride before molding an exact replica of the key in his hands that spun in his palm, "I can create anything."

Sugarboy could feel himself begin to lose consciousness as the wounds began to take their toll on him, his eyes beginning to drop as he glared weakly up at the ice mage.

"T-To think I-I lost to some stripper." he whispered before finally passing out.

A sigh of relief left Gray as he looked down at the 3rd Edolas captain. He had spent more time fighting the captain then he had hoped for. Atleast he got something out of it. With Dragon Cannon key, they could turn everyone back to normal.

"Gray!"

The ice mages ears twitched hearing a very familiar yet annoying voice shout at him, turning to see a mop of spiky rose colored hair running towards him.

"Natsu?" Gray frowned in confusion, "Your still alive? Damn, I was hoping that Knightwalker chick would of atleast chopped an arm off or something."

"Fuck you too, Gray!" he shouted back before looking down at the passed out man on the floor, "Why the hell did you beat this guy up?" he frowned as he poked the guy with his finger. Sugarboy let out a pained groan as Natsu stopped poking him, choosing instead to slap the guy awake, "What he do? Did he try to put some clothes on you only to have you freak out on him and beat him into a bloody pulp?" the blond haired guy was seriously knocked the hell out. No amount of poking, slapping, or even the occasional punch would wake the guy up. Didn't mean he stop punching him though.

Gray sighed at his rivals cluelessness as he watched him try to beat the man awake. Dumb ass probably didn't even know who the hell Sugarboy was. He was probably just hitting the guy out of boredom. Didn't mean he would stop him.

Taking a second to look over at the Dragon Slayer, Gray was surprised with the number of cuts and slashes all over him. That Knightwalker girl must of put up one hell of a fight to make him look like he had just fought Erza. Well, he did technically fight Erza, but not their Erza. It was really confusing once he thought about it. He frowned though catching the lack of a scarf wrapped around his rivals neck. Natsu rarely took it off unless he was about to fight someone he knew was strong. When that happened, he usually gave it to Lucy to hold onto or even Erza.

Gray frowned, it must of got torn up like the rest of his clothes with his fight with the scarlet haired woman.

"Oi, Natsu," Gray called out, deciding to ask what happened to his beloved scarf, "what happened to your scarf? It didn't get torn up during your fight with Knightwalker, did it?" he raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"Eh? What scarf? I've never worn a scarf in my life you Snow-conned idiot."

Gray's jaw dropped at Natsu's response before glaring angrily at his rival, "What the hell are you talking about, you hot headed idiot! You've always worn a scarf! You've worn the same old scarf since the day we meet at the guild! I thought it was something special from Igneel! What, did Edolas Erza smack that head of yours too hard or something! That shouldn't even be possible, there's nothing in that head of yours anyways!" he shouted back as they began to butt heads.

"Shut up! I don't need to be told what I'm missing from a guy who loses his clothes every god damn minute! Maybe you should tell me where my scarf is since your an expert on losing and finding clothes, you sorry excuse for a male stripper!"

"I'm not the only one in his boxers either Flame-shit!"

"Their called trousers Blue-balls!"

"Shit stain!"

"Needle dick!"

"Pink haired monkey!"

"Child molester!"

"You know that's a damn lie! Just because I ran by a school in my damn boxers doesn't make me a sexual predator! It was all a misunderstanding!"

"Not to those poor kids! They were scared for life! Especially that little girl on the swing set! How the hell do your pants end up on the top of an 8-year old's head anyway?"

"How the hell should I know! Most of the time I don't even realize I'm naked! It's like they got a damn mind of their own!"

"Ha! Not even your clothes want to be near you. Shows how much of a weak mage you are!"

"What's that? Do you want me to kick your ass?"

"Bring it! I may be low on magic, but I can still kick your ass!"

"Natsu! Gray!"

Both mages stopped their fighting hearing a loud, commanding voice shout towards them as the heavy steps of the Titania moved closer to the two. They quickly backed away from each other before smiling smiling nervously in a poor attempt to act like friends as Erza came into view.

Erza smiled in relief seeing her two friends alright. Granted they looked like they had just gone through a shredder looking dirty with all the blood and grim covering them, but fine none the less. She did frown though seeing a few large gashes crossing over Natsu's chest and the burns closing over some wounds but chose to ignore how he looked. He was alive after all. And that's all that mattered.

Running over to Natsu, Erza caught the Dragon Slayer in a hug, smacking his face into her iron hard breastplate with a loud ding. She sighed just glad that he was alright and back where she could watch over him, away from harm.

Natsu groaned in pain as his already sore head rang from his skull meeting hard steel. Why did her hugs have to hurt so bad!

"It's good to see you well Natsu." Erza sincerely smiled as she smoothed back his pink hair gingerly.

"I-It hurts." he groaned.

"I missed you too." she sighed in affection.

Gray laughed silently at the pink haired mage's pain as Erza unknowingly caused him pain with her embrace. As much as he wanted to get Natsu out of the hug since she might accidentally kill him, which was his job, he wasn't dumb enough to get in the way of the Titania. She had one hell of a back swing.

Squirming out of her hug, Natsu rubbed his head as he looked back at Erza with a big grin plastered on his face, "I told ya I could handle it, didn't I?" he laughed.

"Yeah." she smiled warmly, her eyes softening, "You did it. Looks like you've really gotten stronger since last we fought. You beat an enemy that even I had trouble keeping up with. You really are stronger then I took you for."

Natsu smiled nervously thinking back on his new nakama. He didn't know if telling his friends that he had just made friends with the enemy that was trying to hunt them down like animals was such a good idea. But they were bond to find out eventually. Especially if he was planning on taking her back to the guild to join Fairy Tail. That and he still had to find Wendy to heal her back up. He had really done a number on Edolas Erza.

Looking back at Erza, Natsu started to slightly sweat thinking about the beating that was sure to come once she found out. Even if she did understand, she would still beat him into an inch of his life.

"Thanks." he laughed nervously, getting quirked eyebrow from Gray that Erza ignored. Noticing two of their friends missing, Natsu frowned as he asked, "Hey, where are Wendy and Lucy? I thought they were with you two."

"Lucy's alright Natsu." Gray answered, "I think. The last time I saw her was when I had been chasing Sugarboy for the key. She was busy fighting some weird giant octopus thing when I had passed by." he shrugged, "She looked fine. A bit winded but she looked like she was winning from the way I saw her tying that things limbs together."

"Meh, she'll be fine." Natsu carelessly motioned with his hands, "What I really want to know is where Wendy is." he winced feeling a sting from his wounds, "I could really use some of that healing magic of her's right now." and after he got himself all healed up, he was going to go looking for Knightwalker so that Wendy could heal her. He made a promise after all.

Erza shook her head being the only one knowing were the sky Dragon Slayer was, "Apparently, from what Hughes had told me in our fight, Wendy had gone to Extalia. Probably there to warn them about King Faust's plan to smash the giant lacrima into Extalia."

". . . He plans to do what?" he growled.

"Ah hell." Gray sighed, "Now you've done it. He didn't know about Faust's plan to turn Extalia into a bomb with the lacrima till now. Now he's probably going to go ape shit and go storming into the King's chambers to stop him."

"Natsu's not that stupid, Gray." Erza sweatdropped.

"Oh really?" he smirked before pointing at the Dragon Slayer flaring up with fire magic, the veins in his forehead popping out in anger as he glared murderously at the door separating him from beating the life out of the king, "Then explain why he looks like he's just dying to tear that door apart like a mad dog."

"Natsu! Calm down!" Erza shouted pulling back the blood thirsty Natsu from breaking down the doors, "We still don't have a plan of action to get through the doors without getting caught. We can't just knock down the doors like we own the place." as much as she herself wanted to bust down the door and get it over with, they had to be smart and plan it all out.

Natsu snarled, thrashing angrily against Erza's grip as he fought to the steel grip keeping him from saving his friends. Forget sneaking in! All he had to do was kick some ass and problem solved! No need for brains when you smear theirs on the floor.

"You can't seriously expect me to just stand around while their planning to turn all our friends and the Exceed into a fucking bomb! Those bastards are going to pay." he whispered hoarsely before roaring angrily, "If they so much as dare chip off another piece of the lacrima made of all our nakama and Magnolia, I'LL BURN THEM ALL OUT OF EXISTENCE!"

"NATSU, SNAP OUT OF IT!"

_SMACK!_

A sharp sting to his cheek knocked Natsu down to the floor. He stared wide eyed up at Erza, holding his burning red cheek gingerly.

Erza's shoulders shook as she looked down with her left arm outstretched from slapping her friend, her face shadowed by her hair hiding her expression from her two childhood friends. Gray stood by looking grimly at Natsu with serious dark blue eyes, his fists clenched tightly at his side.

"You think we don't feel the same?" Gray said coldly, his teeth grinding angrily at his rival, "Trust me, I want to bust in their just as badly as you! You don't think I want to turn them all into ice and smash them into bits?" he walked up to Natsu, looking down at him cold blue eyes, "But we can't just go charging in. We have to think this through. If we so much as make one little mistake, our friends could die, just because you went charging in like an idiot without a brain!"

Picking his friend up by the rags clinging onto him, Gray looked Natsu dead in the eye, his fist gripping tightly at his vest, "Stop acting like an idiot for once. If you want to do something right, then calm the hell down. If you can't even do that right, then stay out of our way. You'd be doing everyone else a favor by just sitting still and doing nothing."

Natsu glared angrily. Then what the hell were they suppose to do? Every minute wasted was another minute closer to losing his friends to some power hungry mad man. He couldn't help losing it. He just wanted to save his nakama. He closed his eyes trying to fight back the anger corrupting his state of mind. Losing control of his emotions wasn't going to help anyone.

Unaware to the Dragon Slayer, scales began to pop out of his skin. He was unconsciously tapping into his Dragon Force. His anger was getting the best of him, causing him to slowly lose control of his magic.

Feeling Gray let go of him, Natsu was shocked to feel himself in a warm embrace. He opened his eyes to stare into the warm brown eyes of Erza, hugging him without her armor in her white blouse and blue skirt. Oddly enough, he felt himself calming down, the dragon scales crawling up his skin fading away with the scarlet's embrace.

"It's alright Natsu. I know your angry, but you have to calm down. I know it's frustrating feeling like you can't do nothing but everything's going to be alright. We got the key to the Dragon Chain Cannon so they can't do anything." feeling Natsu loosen up in her embrace, Erza released him from her hug as she looked at him warmly, "We all feel the same way. Don't feel like you have to do this all on your own. We're all in this together and we're all going bring everyone home."

"She's right, Flame brain." Gray smirked, "I already smashed the key to the cannon into bit's and the only one that can activate it is the key in this hand." he gestured to the blue ice key in his hand at Natsu, "As long as we have this, they can't do nothing about their stupid plan to rain eternal magic onto their kingdom."

The last of Natsu's anger left his system as his head finally began to clear up. They were right. For once they couldn't go busting in to kick everyone's asses. If he wanted to save everyone, he was going to have calm down.

"Alright."Natsu sighed, rubbing the back of his in embarrassment, "I'll calm down. Do you guy's got any ideas on how we can sneak in." he asked curiously.

Erza smirked thinking of how they could sneak in and take control of the Dragon Chain Cannon at the same time.

"I think I got an idea. I'm just going to need you two play along." she said before flashing into a new set of armor copied from a certain scarlet haired captain.

"Now I'm going to need you two to play dead for awhile. This next part is very important." she smirked.

* * *

Two royal soldiers stood ready beside the door leading into the chamber of the Dragon Chain Cannon. Both armed with spears to stop any intruders from breaking in inside where his majesty, King Faust, was busy preparing the final touches to their key to eternal magic.

A set of foot steps suddenly caught the soldiers attention, looking up ahead, the royal soldiers were shocked to see a mop of scarlet red hair walk up to them, dragging along two beat up boy's with her.

"So you made it alright, captain Knightwalker!" saluted both soldiers.

Knightwalker nodded, "Yes, everything's fine. I just had to tie up some loose ends before meeting his majesty."

The soldier on her left instantly recognizing both men stuttered as he pointed a shaky finger at one of the mages, "Th. . Those are. . "

"Is his majesty inside?" she asked calmly, ignoring the stuttering man on her left.

"Yes," bowed the soldier on her right, "as you please."

"Good." smiled before making her way into the double sided doors as they opened, "All the preparations are in order, I can already see eternal magical power right before my eyes."

As the doors closed behind Erza Knightwalker, one of the soldiers suddenly frowned noticing something wrong.

"That's odd."

"What is?" his partner asked curiously.

"Oh. It's nothing really." he shook his head, "It's just, my squad and I found Erza-sama all beaten up with bruises and burns covering her from head to toe. She probably got all healed up in the medic bay, but, I could of sworn that she wore an odd white scaled scarf around her neck last time."

* * *

Walking into the room housing the Dragon Chain Cannon, Knightwalker made her way towards the center of the room, the king standing in the center with over twenty royal soldiers behind him.

The king was a tall, elderly man with wavy grayish white hair reaching down below his shoulders, and a similar beard going down below his chest with a matching mustache. He had round black eyes and a flat nose. He wore brown robes over a dark shirt, his head sporting an odd headgear instead of a crown. A golden scepter with lacrima laid in his hands, his eyes staring up ahead at the Fairy Hunter as she made her way towards her king.

"Erza!" Faust called over, his men quieting down as he spoke, "Is it true that you've brought the key!"

"It was destroyed, but there's no need to worry." she said calmly, dragging the black spiky haired mage over to her king, "This one can create a key."

"He can!" he said in astonishment.

"He's a mage of Earthland, an ally of the Dragon Slayers like this one right her." she gestured towards the rose haired mage in her other hand.

It couldn't be that he was related to the disappearance of the lacrima in the plaza, could it?" he frowned as he looked closely down at Gray.

"That's precisely it."

Faust glared angrily at Gray before scoffing at the mage, "Well that's fine! Just hurry up and have him activate the Dragon Chain Cannon." he ordered as he moved away from the machine controlling the cannon.

Pushing the tied up mage towards the master control of the magical cannon, Knightwalker pulled up a blade to the cheek of the pink haired Dragon Slayer, lightly cutting a thin trail of blood, "Stand Ice mage and don't try anything funny." she moved the blade closer to Natsu's jugular vein threateningly, "You'll activate the Dragon Chain Cannon or else."

Gray looked nervously back at Knightwalker, sweating in fear as she pressed the sharp blade against his friends throat. To everyone else in the room, he looked like he was scared for his friends life.

Well, that was true. He was scared that Erza dressed up as her Edolas counter part would kill Natsu. He knew that they had to sell the act to make it look real, but damn! She didn't have to go to far with threatening Natsu's life. She actually drew some blood to make her act convincing! Thank god he wasn't in Natsu's shoes right now. Never had he been happy to of learned ice magic till now.

Slowly walking up to the giant machine, Gray stood calmly as he looked up at the machine.

_'So, this is the Dragon Chain Cannon.'_ he gulped moving closer to key hole that controlled the machine, _'I'll only get one chance. . .'_

_'Once I activate it, I can quickly change it's course.' _molding a duplicate of the key out of his ice magic, Gray leaned forward as he inserted the key into the machine, _'And have the Dragon Chain Cannon strike the lacrima directly.'_ the Dragon Cannon whirled to life as it activated, _'If I can do that, I can save all my friends!'_

"Yes, that's it!" his majesty praised as the cannon powered up. Finally, they could rain down an infinite amount of magical energy onto their poor nation and he could rule over Edolas with an endless amount of magical power at his disposal.

_'Wait. . .' _Gray paused, sweating in alarm as a thought struck him, _'How the hell do I re-aim this thing!'_ son of a bitch! Why the hell was this coming to him now! He didn't really think it through this far. Goddammit! What the hell was he suppose to do now? _'How!'_

Knightwalker stared impatiently at Gray, gritting her teeth seeing him falter with the controls of the machine.

"FIRE!" king Faust shouted.

Knightwalker grit her teeth before moving the blade closer to Natsu, "This is where it ends. . ."

"Natsu!" she shouted, releasing the Dragon Slayer from her hold.

Natsu grinned wolfishly at the soldiers and Faust, flames dancing around his body as he laughed, "Yeah!"

The king and his men stared in shock at the Dragon Slayer as he ran towards them with flaming hands, "Wh-what?" the king stuttered.

"_**Karyu no Yokugeki(Fire Dragon's Wing)**_!" he shouted, slashing at Faust's men with whip like flames from his hands. The soldiers were blown away by the powerful spell, the flames burning through their armor as they all fell unconscious a moment later.

"What is this?" he stammered in disbelief before finding himself in his second captains hold with a sword to his head. What the hell was going on?

"Halt the firing sequence!" she yelled.

"Erza, you bitch!" one of the guards shouted.

"Erza. . . what is the meaning of this!" the king glared angrily as he looked up at the scarlet haired woman pointing a blade to his head. How could this insolent woman of betrayed him? He thought he had all his captains loyal to him. How was it possible that his strongest soldier was actually a traitor in disguise?

'Knightwalker' smirked at the king before glowing in bright light of magic as she changed armor back into her regular armor, "My name is Erza Scarlet." she said proudly, glaring down at all the soldiers surrounding them, "Earthland's Erza!"

Faust stared openly in shock at the scarlet haired women that looked like Knightwalker. Why those conniving little bastards.

"Sorry 'bout that, that was really close back there." Gray smirked smugly, "Thanks for letting yourself be fooled. Never thought the king of Edolas was easy to trick."

"Kakaka! This is plan D!" Natsu laughed, "D for Deception! And as much as I hate spelling and words in general, I love this plan D! It's my favorite letter in the alphabet!" destruction started with D, demolishing stared with D, Dragons started with, why wouldn't he love the letter D?

The soldiers stared at the mages holding their king with disbelief, sweating nervously as the scarlet haired mage pressed the blade to the side of his majesty's head. They weren't trained for hostage situations goddammit! They were just your run of the mill grunts grouped together to look big and menacing to scare off any enemy that might try to come after the king's life. By they never really expected the real thing to actually happen.

Erza looked back at the king's men with stone cold eyes, the blade pressing harder against Faust's cheek, "Change the target to the lacrima." she demanded, the soldiers twitching as they struggled to follow the order or let their king get hurt. Erza knew this was a dirty tactic but she didn't really care for playing nice with the enemy. They brought this on to themselves when they planned on turning all their friends into a magical bomb.

"Ugh, what should we do?" one of the soldiers whispered, the lance in his hand trembling as he struggled to come up with an answer.

"This is cowardly of you!" another one shouted, closing his eyes in strain, "To think you would take a hostage!"

"What of it?" Gray said coolly.

Natsu grinned evilly at the angry soldiers in response, "We'd do anything for the sake of out comrades." whether it be taking down another guild, kicking the ass of a wizard saint while eating a poisonous magical substance, or even fighting the head master of one of the most powerful dark guilds in Fiore, he'd fight to the very last breath for his nakama.

Idiot's. Didn't their mommy's ever tell them not to mess with a dragon?

"Do it now." a small trickle of blood trailed down the king's cheek in response to the soldiers hesitation. Erza was never really the patient type.

"Dammit. . ."

"Just do it! His majesty is in danger!"

"No you fools!Don't worry about me! Fire! For the sake of destroying the Exceed!" the king roared angrily at his men. He wasn't about to just sit around as all his plans fell apart at the hands of some stupid Earthland mage's.

The soldiers grimaced, grinding their teeth in frustration before finally making up their minds. As much as they wanted eternal magic, the safety of their king always came first.

Sighing in defeat, one the soldiers moved to the controls of the machine. Adjusting the firing settings towards the floating lacrima in the sky, the soldier shouted, "Re-aiming! New target is the giant lacrima!"

"You fools! Are you just going to throw away eternal magic like that!" Faust furiously shouted as the Dragon Cannon aimed higher towards the lacrima.

Natsu grinned excitedly as they were only seconds away from turning everyone back to normal. All they really had to do now was find a way back home and they were set. That and he still had to find Edolas Erza so that she could come with them. A promise was a promise after all.

"_**Shirufarion: Burobakku(Silfarion: Blowback)**_!

A silver blur was the last thing Natsu saw before passing out from the the lightning quick strike to the back of his head. His body fell limp as he fell to the ground, only to be caught by a certain scarlet haired hunter who shoot by in another silver blur towards the side of the group of soldiers.

Knightwalker smirked holding Natsu closely to her chest as she held her back up Ten Commandments by her side. It had taken her while to get here and it looked like she couldn't of come by at a better time then right now.

"Natsu!" Erza yelled out in alarm, accidentally loosening her grip on Faust enough for him to escape.

Faust grinned seeing his strongest captain arrive to save the day, "Knightwalker! It's about time you got here!" if she had been a second late, they would of fired the Dragon Chain Cannon at the lacrima and ruined his plans.

Turning towards her king, Knightwalker apologized for her tardiness, "I'm deeply sorry your majesty for the wait. I had some loose ends to take care of before meeting you for the launch of the Dragon Cannon." she gingerly touched the white scarf wrapped around her neck with affection as she looked down at the Dragon Slayer in her arms softly, "I had some rather personal business to attend to."

"It doesn't matter now." he said turning towards his men as the Fairy Hunter cuddled the Dragon Slayer in her arms "What matters now is changing the aim of the cannon back to the base of the floating island!"

His men scrambled as they moved to change the aim of the cannon now that their king was finally free, leaving two Fairy Tail mages glaring seethingly at Knightwalker for what she had done to their friend.

"Knightwalker." Erza growled angrily, "What hell did you do to Natsu! I thought he beat you!"

Oh yeah, Knightwalker had almost forgotten about Scarlet. Seeing her Earthland counterpart glare at with such anger made Knightwalker laugh as she held Natsu closer to her chest, the scarlet haired mages glare increasing with the action. Someone was jealous.

"Trust me Scarlet, Natsu did beat me. Unfortunately, he didn't knock me out hard enough. And as to what I did to him, I only knocked him out. Nothing serious." she shrugged, "I can't really kill him now. The idiot had made a promise that I'm intending for him to keep. That means keeping him alive long enough to act out in his promise. He's special." she smiled darkly.

Erza frowned at the mention of a promise. What did the idiot do now to catch the Fairy Hunter's attention? His caring side must of got the best of him during his fight with Knightwalker. Why did the idiot have to have such a big heart? Trying to befriend the enemy never worked.

The white scarf around Knightwalker's neck suddenly caught Erza's attention as she stared at Natsu's most precious treasure. Her anger for her counterpart growing realizing she must of stole it from him when he wasn't looking.

"Why the hell do you have Natsu's scarf!" she shouted.

"He lent it to me Scarlet." Knightwalker answered as if it was simple as that, "Before knocking me out, Natsu gave me the scarf to protect before running off to stop his majesty." she shook her head back thinking about it. Fool. He might of dug himself into her head but she was still a soldier for king Faust and she still had a job to stop him and his friends.

"That's total bull!" yelled Gray with his fists clenched at his side, "Natsu only trusts his most special gift from his foster father to his nakama! He would never give it to someone like you!"

_'This thing's special?'_ Knightwalker looked down at the soft scarf keeping her warm with confusion. If it was that special to him, then why did he trust her to keep it safe? She was trying to kill him for Exceeds sake! Was he that dumb to leave her his scarf to her when she had only moments ago tried to take his life.

_'Yeah, I know. But didn't I say I would by your nakama?'_

He only trusted his nakama with his most special treasure. And she was his nakama. The idiot must of really trusted her if he gave her his scarf to protect. They had only just met and she already had his undying trust.

"It doesn't matter now." she scowled, trying to hide the tears in her eyes. Now wasn't the time to get all emotional. It was time to fire the Dragon Chain Cannon, "You should be more worried about the firing of the cannon then some measly little scarf."

Gray and Erza's eyes widened in panic as they forgot about the firing of the Dragon Cannon in their worry for their friend. Turning towards the the cannon they realized they were too late as the barrel of the weapon glowed with magic energy. It was over.

"Fire!" shouted king Faust in demand.

The Fairy Tail mages stared in despair as the barrel concentrated the Dragon Slayer magic they had stolen in a silver glowing sphere that spun wildly with lost magic. The cannon roared as it suddenly shot out the Dragon Slayer magic in the direction of the floating lacrima in the sky, the concentrated shot of magic in shape of a chained dragon head linked to the barrel of the cannon. The shot hit it's mark, shaking the island carrying the magical crystal violently in it's wake.

* * *

Up above the island, both Gajeel and Pantherlily stumbled as the island linked together with the cannon. The floating island rumbled as it swayed back and forth, disorientating the Iron Dragon Slayer and the Exceed.

"What the hell was that!" Gajeel shouted in alarm. It felt like a giant had smacked into the side of the lacrima! What the hell was going on down their?

"Heh." Pantherlily grinned with blood trialing down his mouth, "Dragon Chain Cannon's been attached."

* * *

"Link complete." the soldier manning the cannon shouted back to king Faust happily, "What do I do now, your majesty?"

Faust looked up at his soldier like he was an idiot, "Smash it into Extalia of course! What are you, stupid!"

"R-Right!" the man ducked his head in embarrassment as he set the cannon to swing the lacrima into the land of the Exceed.

"Noooooo!" Gray violently shouted as he was held back by a large group of soldiers from stopping the Dragon Chain Cannon. He was too low on magic to fight back. He was useless, "Stopppppp!"

_ROOOOOOAAAARRRR! _

_'What the hell?' _ frowned in confusion as the bestial roar snapped him out of despair. Looking up towards the sky Gray felt his eyes widened in surprise seeing a familiar blonde haired girl in a summer bikini riding on a winged behemoth, _'Lucy? Your alright!'_

"You guys!" Lucy shouted from ontop the flying behemoth, "Hurry up and get on!"

Faust stared in disbelief at Lucy as she rode over his men to her friends, "Why does that little girl have a Legion!" he angrily shouted only to freeze at the cutely smiling long brown haired girl riding next to the Earthland mage, _'Coco. . .!'_

"It's my Legion." the little girl smiled smugly before blowing a raspberry towards the king.

Kicking up a big gust of wind that blew back half of king's men, the Legion landed infront of the Fairy Tail mages as Lucy urged her friends on the flying horned beast.

"Come on and get on before the soldiers get up!"

Watching as Gray climbed up, Erza looked back at Knightwalker before shouting up at Lucy, "I'll be right back Lucy! I forgot something very important!" before glowing with her re-equip magic.

Frowning as she watched her friend turn into a blur, Lucy looked over at Gray with confusion, "What did Erza forget? She didn't leave one of her armors behind, did she?"

"It's nothing important really." Gray said boredly as he got comfortable on the Legion, yawning as he took the time to get his magic back, " She just forgot about Natsu who's passed out in the hands of Knightwalker is all. I vote we leave Matchstick behind. His fat ass will only drag us down." he smirked.

"WHAT!"

* * *

Knightwalker shielded her face from the onslaught of powerful wind kicked up from the Legions landing as she held Natsu protectively. As the powerful wind died down, Knightwalker suddenly screamed in shock as the passed out mage in her grip woke up to shout angrily at the Legion.

"Shut the fuck up Gray! I don't want to hear any bull coming from stripper who scars kids on a regular basis!" Natsu shook his fist angrily to the direction of Gray's voice, not even putting together the fact he was in the hands of his new nakama who knocked him out.

"Why don't you shut the fuck up and go back to sleep Flamebrain!"

"Okay." he said before passing out again.

"What the hell Shithead!" Gray shouted in shock as he saw his rival knocked out again from ontop the Legion.

Knightwalker growled at the ice mage as she began to shift her Ten Commandments into it's Hohei Yari(Artillery Spear) to shoot him down before a rushing blur kicked her off her feet. Grunting as she fell on her back, Knightwalker glared furiously at the scarlet haired knight running away with her property. Why that sneaky little bitch!

Standing back up, Knightwalker aimed her spear which transformed into golden cannon like barrel towards the Titania, "_**Hohie Yari: Mugen no Hoka( Artillery Spear: Endless Gunfire)**_!"

Baseball sized magical bullets fired upon Erza from Knightwalker's spear like cannon, missing their target as she weaved through the shots as she ran towards the Legion in her Flight Armor. Knightwalker openly grit her teeth in frustration as her bullets missed their mark. Dame fairy was fast in that armor of hers. She be impressed if she didn't steal her dragon.

_'Tsk. Enjoy this small victory for now, Scarlet.'_ she smirked dangerously as she slammed the tip of her spear to the floor, turning back into it's Eisenmeteor form, cracking the stone as she watched her Earthland self vanish in a blur with Natsu, '_But by the end of the day, Natsu will be mine. Even if it means having to get you out of the picture to do so.'_

* * *

Hopping onto the horned beast as it took off, Erza laid the unconscious rose haired mage against the Legions back as they soared off high into the sky, heading straight towards the floating island carrying the lacrima made up of their nakama and the people of Magnolia.

"So how are we going to stop it?" Gray frowned as they neared the island slamming towards Extalia in alarming speeds, "It's not like we can just stop it with our bear hands."

"Nope!" Coco grinned cheerfully as Gray noticed they were flying in the way of the island smashing into Extalia, "That's were Lypon comes in! He's going to stop that stupid island from blowing up Extalia with his monstrous strength. I'm sure he can stop it." she smiled confidently while giving Gray a thumbs up as he freaked out.

"This little girl's trying to fucking kill us all!"

"Gray! Get it together!" Erza shouted as they finally stopped infront of the floating land of the Exceed. The chained lacrima was getting closer to smashing into them all into pieces as they all stood up to face the impending danger.

"Alright everyone! Brace yourself's!" Coco shouted as they all braced themselves as Coco's Legion shot towards the lacrima.

_'This isn't going to work.'_ Gray mentally sighed before a cold frost enveloped both his fists. As much as he wanted to believe this flying behemoth could stop the collision between the two floating bodies Gray knew that it would only end up smashing them into flat pancakes. Looked like it was going to need a little of an extra push to stop Faust's plan. _'I've recovered enough magic so I might aswell help stop this thing since Natsu's knocked out. His hard headed head could of saved us all.' _and he was dying to try out his new spell he had come up with before landing in Edolas. Looked like it was perfect time to bust his it out.

Just as the Legion rammed into the lacrima, two giant fists made of ice slammed into the magical crystal, stopping it as it violently fought to push back the spell, "_**Aisu Meiku: Kyojin Bunki Ken(Ice Make: Giant Branching Fists)**_!"

Multiple giant fist's made of ice branched off the two original ice fists as each one of them punched into the earth holding up the lacrima, pushing back the deadly force being applied to smash the lacrima into Extalia. Lucy stared in awe at the spell Gray called on as it fought to push back the lacrima with Lypon before Gray's sharp shout snapped her out of her awe, "Well, what the hell are you guy's waiting for! An invitation!" struggling to hold back the lacrima with both his hands enveloped in cold hard ice from fist to his shoulders, Gray's voice strained as he waited for his friends to help, "Call on all your magic and help me push back this heavy bastard from killing us all! I can't do this all by myself!"

His new spell drained him of nearly all his magic, leaving him only enough to help keep him standing as a giant shock wave from the collision of the Legion and his spell blew back his hair in surge of power. They must of felt something suddenly try to stop the lacrima from crashing into Extalia. It explained why it was getting harder to stand up against the island. This was probably dumbest thing Gray had ever done. Pushing back a slamming island on flying beast with only his magic! He wasn't Natsu, he didn't have a death wish!

Feeling a strong force push back the floating mass ramming them, Gray looked over to his side to suddenly see Erza in her _**Kyojin Yoroi(Giant's Armor)**__. _It was a large, furry, golden colored armor with that sported a large cross on the breastplate. The armor was completed by a headgear with the appearance of a pair of large metal ears. A golden light of magic covered both her arms as she leaned in to push back the lacrima from flattening them into Extalia, her forehead sweating from the large strain of magic she putting out. Another set of hands forced back the the shooting landmass in the form of a very muscular humanoid white and black bull and a big chested blonde haired girl, both struggling to help push back the lacrima as they were all slowly being pushed closer and closer to the land of Extalia.

"Push harder!" Erza shouted as she felt the muscles in her arms start to burn from the enormous force pushing them back.

"I'm trying!" Lucy gasped as her small body fought to help.

"Moooo! Don't worry Lucy!" Taurus sweated as the veins in his muscles popped up in a show of how hard he was pushing, "I will fight back with all the strength in this spiritual body to protect those heavenly mounds of yours from being flattened!" a large surge of golden magic suddenly flared out of Taurus as he fought even harder to protect his summoner, his eyes glowing red with rage, "I HATE SMALL BREASTS!"

Lucy sweatdropped with a small tick mark on her forehead, "Uhhhh. . . thank you Taurus?"

A funny sounding cackle suddenly caught their attention as spiky black mane haired man jumped down from the lacrima with blue colored cat wearing a red tie and small green back pack. Gajeel grinned wolfishly towards the stunned mages as Happy flew worriedly towards the unconscious Natsu.

"What's up?" he smirked deviously as his skin began to turn into a blackish gray with scales from his magic, "You guys' need an extra set of Dragon Slayer hands now that our little fire dragon's passed out?"

Happy frowned worriedly at his best friend as he checked over Natsu. He looked like he had just finished fighting some horrible monster from all the cuts and gashes covering him from head to toe. Small tears gathered in Happy's eyes feeling bad for leaving his best friend alone to fight. He should of stayed and helped Natsu instead of going with Charlie. But Charlie really needed him, so he had to go with her to Extalia. Did he do the right thing abandoning his teammate who had been with him since he was just a newborn kitten?

"I'm sorry, Natsu." sobbed Happy trying his best to hold back the tears as rippling shock waves pushed the Legion they were flying back into the land of Extalia. They blew back into the edge of the land of the supposed gods with tremendous force that rocked all their bodies as they all fought to keep the lacrima from turning the two land masses into a bomb of raining infinite magic. Rocks and crumbled earth bombarded the mages but they didn't care, no matter how hurt they all may be they were going to fight back until the very last bit of magic left them and even then, they would continue to fight back until their last breath. "Please. . . forgive me!" Happy cried as the little blue cat sobbed into his chest, not even noticing the faint twitch in the Dragon Slayers fingers.

"This isn't working!" cried Lucy feeling her arms turn into lead from pushing back. Her arms were feeling really heavy and her hands were getting bloody from her fingers digging into the earth. She was losing hope fast as she felt more rocks hit her unprotected back as they were only slowing down the lacrima from exploding into Extalia. It was already glowing angry red from the fusion of magic meeting Extalia leaving them very little time to stop the explosion that would wipe them all out with the people of Magnolia and the Exceed. Small tears trailed down her cheek feeling all hope lost.

It was really over. Their wouldn't be any more laughing with her nakama after this. They would all be dead from the explosion. No more smiles, no more grins, no more laughter, no more happy moments. Lucy never even got to say good-bye to any of her nakama. Why did this all have to happen? Why couldn't they all just go home?

Erza fought back tears feeling all hope begin to vanish. The lacrima had all ready begun to fuse with Extalia's magic meaning it was only a matter of time before they were all caught up with eternal fusing of magic. Blood trialed down her side of her head from a flying rock hitting. She grit her teeth furiously as she fought off the despair beginning to eat away at her strength. She pushed even more of her magic into her arms, not even caring that some of her armor was starting to crack from the pressure being pushed against them.

"DON'T GIVE UP!" Gray roared feeling his friends begin to slack at the hopeless situation. His dark blue eyes stared back at his nakama with a burning determination completely opposite of the magic he wielded, "WE CAN'T GIVE UP! WHAT THE HELL WOULD NATSU SAY! DO YOU THINK HE WOULD START GIVING UP RIGHT NOW! NO! HE WOULD FIGHTING BACK HARDER THEN ALL OF US COMBINED! AND I'M NOT READY TO GO BEGGING FOR HIS HELP WHEN HE'S KNOCKED OUT LIKE A BUMB! WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT HIM, JUST DON'T GIVE UPPPP!" the area around Gray began to freeze over as his dug deep into his magic reserves to push back the lacrima with his ice fists. He wouldn't admit it out loud but without Natsu their moral were down. The idiot had the strangest magic that allowed everyone to get out of their despair back to their normal selves. He wasn't about to let his rival beat him. If Natsu couldn't bring up their spirits then he was going to have to do it himself.

Pantherlily looked down sadly at the fighting mages fighting to save their friends. He respected their determination and strong spirit of will but it was useless. The Dragon Chain Cannon was made up of concentrated Dragon Slayer magic. A lost magic in Earthland that was as destructive and powerful as the dragons that had taught the ancient art. Such proud warriors were only slowing down the uneventful.

Looking down at the mages Pantherlily's eyes suddenly widened in shocked horror as he saw a familiar brown haired girl helping to push back the lacrima bomb. What the hell was Coca doing here?

"Coco. . . what are you doing here!" he shouted down furiously.

"Lily. . .?" Coco looked up weakly from ontop her Legion.

She smiled tiredly up at the Exceed. So he was here. Thank god he was still alive. She closed her eyes feeling the enormous weight of trying to save her friend and having her legs nearly crippled by Faust catch up to her as she smiled sadly at her friend.

"I've decided Lily. . ." Coco finally made up her mind. All she wanted, was a life where she could be smiling with all her friends in peace, "I don't need infinite magic, I want an infinite smile."

The muscular Exceed's face was masked with rage despite the small tears gathering in his eyes, "What are you blabbering on about!" he bared his teeth angrily as he shouted, "Hurry up and get out of here! We won't be able to stop the island no matter what! It's not possible with mere human strength!"

"Then we'll exceed human strength."

"What!" Lily whispered in stunned silence before large twin jets of fire fought back against the island.

Everyone stared stunned at the pink haired mage standing back up with his fists digging into the earth of the island. Large jets of fire sprouted out from his elbows as he grinded his teeth trying to stop the lacrima from killing everyone he loved.

"Natsu. . ." Happy whispered sniffing back tears as his friend happily grinned at him.

"Hey Happy! Mind lending a hand, partner." he cheerfully smiled.

Happy stared at his friend stunned that he had forgiven him for abandoning him all alone before tears of joy ran down his friend. No matter what he did, Natsu would always forgive him. They were nakama. And he would always forgive his nakama.

"Aye sir!" Happy happily grinned as he flew next to his friend.

"What are you guy's staring at?" Natsu asked confusingly, wondering why his friends had stopped pushing back and stared at him, "We are going to save our friends, right?" they nodded, "Then stop staring and start pushing! I can't do this all by myself." he smirked.

Gray scoffed at the Dragon Slayers words despite the smile on his face he tried to hide, "What the hell are talking about matchstick? We were doing just fine without you shouting at us like some hero."

"Who asked you, stripper!"

_'Natsu.' _Erza smiled as she looked next to the fire mage giving his all. Slowly, their hopes were being restored as the island was beginning to steadily back away from Extalia in a slow rate. The dragons flames began to rekindle all their hope as everyone begun to push back even harder against the lacrima.

"It's useless." Pantherlily argued, "No matter how hard you try your only slowing down your ends! Why can't you fools understand that!"

"Because we still have hope!" Natsu yelled back, "My nakama are still here with me! Just cause you can't see them doesn't mean there not there! I can still hear their voices inside the lacrima encouraging me not to give up!" their smiles, their faces, their eyes, their laughter, their shouts of engorgement, Natsu could still see them all. It's what had been always been pushing him to do better, to try harder, to live happier. They were his hope. And they were still there, "WE STILL HAVE HOPE! And my friends are right beside me! As long as I still have my nakama right beside me, I WON'T EVER GIVE UP!"

"He's right!"

"Charlie!" Happy grinned seeing a white cat with a pink tie on her tail and a small dress fly towards them.

Charlie slammed into the base of the island to help her friends fight against the lacrima, crying tears of regret, "I'm not giving up! Fairy Tail, Extalia, I'm going to protect them both!"

A second later a flying black cat with a long neck in a black suit rammed next to Charlie, cringing as his neck bent in an uncomfortable position.

"You. . ." Charlie whispered.

"Nya~, I want to protect my home too." he smiled before a huge flock of flying Exceed came soaring in the sky towards them all, "I'm sure everyone else does to!"

Pantherlily stared shocked at all the Exceed flying to protect their home. Why? Why were they still fighting?

"One should protect one's country!

"For the sake of the Queen who braved perils to protect this country and it's people as well!"

"Wendy-san, Charlie-san, we're sorry for before!"

"We want to help too!"

"This is our home! We won't stand by as we watch it destroyed!"

"For Extalia and my friends, I won't let my county fall!"

The cries of the his people, the ones who had exiled him to the world below them for saving a human child, for having a heart that couldn't stand by as an innocent died, struck something deep inside Pantherlily as he watched them too fight for their home and friends.

He hated them. He hated them so much for what they had done to him. For exiling him from his home which he fought to protect before being banished. Lily still remembered the day he was banished. All because he had saved a boy's life. It's why he had joined Faust in his plan of destroying Extalia. To punish the fools of his country who rather see sin in saving a child's life.

But still. . .

"My Queen!"

"Shegot!"

Pantherlily's wings spread as he dove down to catch the one winged Queen of the Exceed. Catching her in his grasp he felt the queen look up at him with sad eyes.

"Lily. . ." she whispered before looking down with guilt, "I'm sorry. . .I . . ."

She didn't have to say no more. Even before all this huge mess had started he couldn't denie it anymore.

"Me too." he cried, "No matter how much I may despise it, Extalia is my home!"

"But," he looked guiltfully at the island still being smashed into his homeland, "it's too late-"

"What the fuck did I just say dumb ass!" Natsu angrily cut Lily off, hearing the Exceeds words of despair, "As long as we have our nakama, we aren't giving up!"

As if answering his words the lacrima was pushed back farther and farther away from the land of the Exceed as a glow of emerald green magic enveloped everyone, the words of the pink haired mage resonating in everyone's hearts.

"We won't give up!"

"I don't want to say good-bye to my home!"

"I just put a down payment on my house! Like hell I'm losing that!"

"I love my home! I don't wanna see it go boom!"

"I love my guild!" Lucy happily cried as she and her summon pushed beyond their limits to protect her friends. She had just joined her new family and she wasn't going to give it up! Even if it meant breaking her weak body to protect her family, she wasn't going to leave them. "Their all my family! I love them and they love me! That's why I'm not going to give up until we're all laughing and smiling back together in Magnolia!"

"I lost everyone I had ever cared about once! I'm not about to lose my family again!" Gray roared as his ice fell apart and he was left with nothing but his own hands to stop the island. He dug his fists deep into the earth until all he felt was pain as his hands bleed from the scrapping against the rock making up the earth. Gray had lost his friends and family once to the demon Deliora because he was weak. He had lost his foster mother, Ur and his foster brother, Lyon, too because he was weak. Now, he had power that he had gained for the exact same reason his guildmates wanted power. To protect his nakama, his family! "Even if I die! I will protect my family the same way they protect me! Until the very end!"

"Gihihihihi! I may of just joined this guild but I'm not about to stand around as I watch it get smashed up again!" smirked Gajeel as cracks began to spread out around his iron scales. He still didn't fully understand the word. Nakama. But, he was starting to see how Natsu had beaten him. It was his nakama that had given him strength to overpower him and defeat him. His friends were what had given him power and Gajeel was starting to see that. Hell, the idiots back at the guild were starting rub off on him. It felt. . . nice having. . . nakama. "I destroyed the guild once and I'm still trying to make up for it! If this doesn't get me on their good side, then I'm just going to have to try harder! I'm going to protect the people I had once hurt with my life!" he roared as his face cracked.

"I don't want to lose my new home!" Wendy cried as her little body struggled to push back the lacrima. She had just joined Fairy Tail and they already treated her like family. She had lost her home once, she didn't want to go through that again. She was starting to love her new guild. She wasn't going to let it all end like this. "I may be small but I won't let that stop me from protecting all my friends! I don't wanna be all alone again! That's why I'm going to keep trying till my last breath!"

"Even if my body breaks against the pressure of the island, I will stand my ground to protect the people of Magnolia and my guildmates with my very life!" Erza's Kyojin Yoroi shattered into pieces as it couldn't take the strain of the pressure smashing into. But even then, Erza still fought against the lacrima with her bear hands. Fairy Tail was her home. Her family. They had opened up her scared heart and mended it back together even when she thought it was irreparable. They had given her strength to face her demons and conquer them. She would of died for her family at one time but one special pink haired Dragon Slayer had shown her the right way to live for her family. Not to die for them but to actually live with them. Maybe, her heart was finally ready to love again. Natsu had really dug himself a special spot in her iron clad heart and maybe it was finally time to act on those feelings. "We will not die! No matter how what happens we're bringing everyone back to Magnolia! I won't stop till we're all walking together under the bright sky's of Earthland! Because we don't die for our nakama, WE LIVE FOR THEM!" she shouted with tears running down her cheek.

_'Igneel. I wonder if your still watching over me even though I'm in another dimension,'_ Natsu smiled, the roar of everyone's voice shouting out to protect what they love drowning out the very wind roaring against them like a storm, _'I found someone just like me in Edolas, did you know that? The scary thing is that she's like Erza's twin or something like that. She's just as lonely as I was when I was a kid. When you left me, I felt like my heart had been torn apart. A hollow emptiness had made it's way into my heart I never thought I could get rid of without you. But now, it's almost gone! My nakama filled that hole in my heart and it's almost gone. I wonder, does Knightwalker fell the same loneliness as I did? She tried to hide it, but I could see the hollowness in her eyes every time I mentioned nakama. She's trying to turn all my friends into a bomb but I can still see the good in her. That's why, I'm going to bring her out of her loneliness!'_

Natsu roared as fire poured out of every pore of his body in the form of dragon. Oddly enough, the dragons arms moved up to push back the earth under the lacrima even though it was made of fire. The dragon's mouth opened up to let loose an earth bellowing roar that shook the very air around the mages and the Exceed, they all stared in awe of the flames in the form of dragon as it helped push back the island.

"My nakama are what keep me going! If it means being seen as some sort of demon by Edolas or the people back in Earthland, I'll do whatever it takes to protect them! You can't extinguish my hope!" he roared, not noticing the odd glow of white magic begin to surround the lacrima, "So you can send as much power as you want, it doesn't matter! In the end we're all going back home to Magnolia! And their's nothing you can do to stop us! Because we are Fairy Tail!"

Miracles. They come when you least suspect them. But they just don't happen like that. You need to make your own miracles. Even gods can't stand against the miracles you make on your own. They have the power to bring salvation to even a dying world. Believe in the power you hold in your hands. Because they bring miracles.

* * *

Mystogun stared proudly up at the hundreds of Exceed pushing back the island holding up the lacrima from hitting their home. The loud shouts of a certain Dragon Slayer feeding their hope like a flame. Natsu always had way to lift a persons spirits.

Holding up his magical staffs, Mystogun decided it was time to he did his part in saving his friends. They had suffered long enough.

"It's time they all went home." he smiled before a flash of bright white light blinded everyone's eyes.

Up above the sky, Natsu and everyone flinched as the bright light of magic warped the lacrima in itself. In one final flash of bright light, the lacrima they had all fought so hard to push back, had vanished into thin air.

And in it's place, they all saw a giant crater where the lacrima once stood.

The fight for their friends was over.

* * *

11,000 words! Dame am I on a roll! Each time I write a new chapter, the words continue to grow! It use to take me two hours to even write a thousand words and I finished this in only Five~!

I don't know why but I really liked this chapter more then any other. Their wasn't any real fighting in this one either. I guess the emotions I was trying to convey really got to me and struck me deep. I was happy to write this chapter.

I've noticed that my chapters usually are written on sunday's and uploaded on the same day. I guess sunday is my writing day. The only time where I have the laptop to myself. Sweet.

Hopefully, I didn't make that much mistakes in this chapter. But if I did I'm sorry. I'm still looking for a really good Beta reader.

If ya got any questions, review and speak out your mind. The arc is almost over and the new is just around the corner. Till then enjoy the what's left of my Edolas arc.

Review and Enjoy. NeoShadows fading out.


	5. Dragon's Taboo

**What's up my awesome fans? NeoShadows here and with an early chapter of The Story of a Dragon, a Knight, and a Fairy Hunter.**

**This damn chapter would of been updated earlier, but I got distracted with watching the demos of Devil May Cry 5, learning the new version of pokemon black and white version 2, and getting Final Fantasy 13 part two. I don't care what anybody say's, the new DmC looks kick ass, even if it's with a different looking Dante. Never judge a game by it's lead character. You will royally fuck yourself over.**

**I promise this chapter will leave shocked, awed, maybe even a little teary eyed, and full of questions. Trust me, I didn't ignore my new Final Fantasy game for nothing. I worked my ass off with this chapter.**

**Don't forget to read my AN at the end of this chapter, it's very important. Well it is if you want another story by the new shadows.**

**Read and Review people! I'm trying to reach a hundred by the end of the month. You have no idea how hard it is updating every week with a new chapter.**

**I missed my Anna's and Carol's birthday for this!**

**Granted their spirits that are like my devil and angel side that hang on my shoulder, but hey, I love them. . . .Wait! Do spirits even have birthday's? Cause I'm pretty sure that I'm being tricked.**

**Again.**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. Hiro Mashima, the glorious bastard, owns the rights. I have never been more jealous of a Japanese man then that one time in fifth grade where my japanese friend won a sack of candy while I got a rock. **

**I'm not even joking. Whoever came up a Charlie Brown version of pin the tail on the donkey needs to get shot.**

* * *

_**Chapter 5: Dragon's Taboo.**_

* * *

A calm silence settled over the skies over Edolas, the hundreds of Exceed and Earthland mages staring at the crater once housing the lacrima in shock. Natsu couldn't believe his eyes when the island's lacrima suddenly vanished into thin air just like that infront of everyone's eyes. What the hell just happened? How was it possible for a giant lacrima to just vanish?

"What the hell's going on!" yelled Natsu as he looked furiously down at the crater, "Where the hell did the lacrima go? If someone doesn't tell me in the next few minutes I'm burning this motherfucker down!" he shouted as he lite up his fist with flames.

A shadowy figure floating in the sky sighed at the Dragon Slayer's impatience, "Calm down Natsu." the figure said calmly as he flew into the moonlight on a white colored Legion.

A man wearing a dark blue bandana with a silver forehead protector, and a green mask that obscured the bottom half of his face flew towards the mages. He wore blue cloak like his bandanna with bandages rolled up around most of his arms and legs and baggy dark blue pants. Five magical staffs floated around the man with different designs as they glowed a feint emerald green.

Mystogun smiled behind mask seeing all his friends and the Exceed alright. Thank god he had made it in time. Any second later and they would have been caught up with the explosion of magic fusion together.

"It's alright Natsu, their all back in Earthland." the Dragon Slayer visibly calmed down hearing the goods, "I apologize for being so late everyone, I was busy searching for the vestiges of the giant Anima in order to send the lacrima back to Earthland. We actually wouldn't of made it in time if it weren't for all your strength, thank you." he apologized.

'Mistogun?' Erza and the rest of the Fairy Tail mages looked up in surprise.

"Using the anima once again, the lacrima has been returned to Earthland in it's original form." Mystogun smiled at the bright smiles going around hearing their friends safe and sound. The battle was finally over. " It's all over."

The sky lite up with smiles at the end of an almost hopeless fight. Their hopes had been answered. The Exceed smiled and cried tears of joy at keeping their homeland safe with their own hands. A loud cheer deafened the skies of Edolas as the Exceed celebrated. Their home was safe and all was well.

Mystogun looked reminiscently down at Pantherlily. Tugging the green bandanna obscuring his face, Mystogun smiled down at his friend, "Lily. . .this is the life you saved." memories of the strong Exceed invaded his thoughts as he looked back at his past. Of the Exceed who had saved his life in the distant past. "I'm glad to have protected your home, my dear friend."

Lily looked up at the familiar shock of spiky blue hair and brown eyes smiling, the distinctive red tattoo bringing back memories of an eternally grateful smiling little boy.

"Thank you. . .your highness." he gratefully smiled with small tears of joy gathering in the corners of his eyes.

Natsu breathed in a sigh of relief. It was finally over with. His nakama were back in Earthland probably wondering were the hell they all were. The Master would probable be running around fearing the worst that they had gone out on a mission and were tearing the place down. Mirajane would smile and wave away the old man's concern even though she knew he was probable right before a big fight would break out in the guild for some stupid reason.

All that was left was to go home. Well that and find Knightwalker so that she could come with them.

Flying next to him with the help of an Exceed Erza smiled at Natsu as they watched the Exceed happily fly around in joy. "So how are you feeling Natsu?" Erza asked curiously as she looked over his beaten up state. His clothes were completely torn from top to bottom from Knightwalker's spear and he looked like he had seen better days. Not to mention Natsu was covered in numerous wounds that he had sealed up with his magic. Wendy was definitely going to have to heal him up the second chance they had.

Natsu laughed as he turned towards the scarlet haired knight, "I'm actually not feeling as bad as I look." he grinned as he flexed his muscles, "I'd say I could go another round against that island if I wanted to. Ya can't stop these Dragon Slaying arms even if your a giant floating island. Never underestimate the power of a Dragon Slayer!"

"Except for an idiot like Natsu." Happy butt in, "You never know what he might do. The only way you could ever beat him is in a spelling test. Even I can beat him and I'm eight years old." the flying cat grinned.

"Spelling test's aren't important!" Natsu pouted as Erza laughed softly, "When has a spelling test ever saved a life or kicked a bad guy's ass? Never that's when! And if your going to be like that Happy then no red salmon sandwich with tarter sauce when we get back!" he threatened causing his flying friend to look at him with watery eyes.

"EHHHHHH!" Happy's eyes trembled looking like his whole world was falling apart, "Natsu's a big meany! I should just drop you for just saying that!" he cried.

Erza smiled watching Natsu and Happy threaten each other with food and death. Natsu was so fierce moments ago and now he was back to be being his usual boisterous self again. It was nice to know he could be serious when he needed to be and fun when he wanted to be. It was one of the many qualities she loved about him.

Laughing to herself as she watched Happy loosen his grip on Natsu getting an angry shout out of the Dragon Slayer Erza moved closer to Natsu so that she could pet the upset Exceed.

"It's fine Happy." Erza chuckled as Happy smiled in content from the scratch behind the ear, "If Natsu does not feed you then I will catch you some fish back at Earthland." the blue haired cat looked up at Erza with shining eyes and drool as she gave him a tiny grin, "I know a perfect place where fish practically fly into the boat to be eaten."

"Yay! Erza's going to catch me fish! Fish, fish, fish, fish! I really like to eat fish~!" Happy joyfully sang getting a small giggle out of the scarlet haired beauty.

Natsu's jaw dropped hearing the mighty Titania giggle as he he pointed as shaky finger at Erza, "Did you just. . .giggle?" he asked in disbelief. Hearing the Titania giggle was as rare as seeing her blush or scream.

Erza blushed as she looked away with a huff, "What? I can't act like a girl for a few seconds? You know just because you all see me as some scary person doesn't mean I don't have a right to act like a girl every once in a while."

"You know that I don't think of you as a scary person all the time Erza." Natsu laughed nervously noticing Erza start to broad, "Your smart and beautiful too. You may be able to beat the living crap out of me but it doesn't mean I see you as some sort of monster."

Blushing at the compliment Erza smiled at Natsu before Happy ruined the moment with his mouth.

"Then why do we have a picture of Erza with monster written on it back at home?" Happy frowned curiously as Erza glared at Natsu who shook in fear of the Titania's wrath, "Monster wasn't even spelled right either. It looked like a ten year old wrote it."

Raising a fist towards the Dragon Slayer Erza's eyes suddenly widened in alarm catching glowing flying net of magic shoot towards Natsu's back. Summoning a sword in her hand Erza pulled Natsu away from the flying net as she cut it to pieces.

"What the hell was that?" Lucy frowned as the Exceed carrying her flew next to them.

Instead of answering Lucy, Erza turned to look down to see a familiar scarlet haired fairy hunter fly up to the island on a Legion with nearly a hundred soldiers riding the same beast.

"Knightwalker." Erza growled as her counterpart smirked towards her.

"Scarlet, I wish I could say it was nice to see you again, but I hate you." she said flatly before looking back at Natsu, "I see you have something that belongs to me. Give him back and I promise your death won't be as gruesome as I had hoped it would be." smiled sweetly.

Natsu felt his eye twitch as he looked back at his new nakama, "Oi! Since when could anyone own me! I though we were friends Knightwalker! Why the hell are you treating me like some sort of object!"

"What do you mean friends, Natsu?" Erza said dangerously as she looked back at Natsu with a pointed glare, "You don't make friends with someone who's trying to kill you baka!"

"Don't shout at my Natsu, Scarlet!" Knightwalker yelled before pointing her Ten Commandments in it's Artillery Spear at the armored mage, "Now hand him over."

"Should you really be pointing at one of the princes allies like that while he's floating around you?"

"What?" Knightwalker frowned before a spiky blue haired man stood infront of Erza and Natsu.

"As the prince of Edolas, I demand you and your men cease your meaningless actions." he said with authority, "There is no more reason for all this fighting."

"**Since when have you had any power to overrule my authority?"**

Mystogun's eyes widened in surprise hearing the loud booming voice of the king up in the skies of Edolas.

"**I do not think of a punk like you as my son. After having concealed yourself for seven years now you brazenly return? Bah!" **the king scoffed, **"I am well aware that you were in Earthland closing up the anima, you traitor."** he spat.

"Your plan has failed." Mystogun said coolly, "Theirs no longer any meaning in this battle is there?" he frowned before a loud laugh shook from down below.

"**Meaning? Meaning in battle, you say?" **the Faust said humorously just as the trees in the forest under Extalia began to shake and tremble as earth shaking footsteps shook the earth, **"This is no battle. This is retribution against those who would dare make enemies with the king. This is unilateral extermination!" **the trees were suddenly blew back as a menacing steeled dragon blew away the nearby trees with it's roar alone.

"What is that!" Lucy gasped as she stared down the towering mechanic dragon.

"**If you stand in my way I will erase even you and not even leave the merest trace behind." **

Taken back by his father's ruthlessness Mystogun looked down stunned at the dragon, "Father. . ."

"**I am not your father, I am king of Edolas!"** Faust grinned inside his dragon, **"Come to think of it. . . if I finish you here, the person closing the anima's in Earthland will had disappeared. Meaning I can create lacrima and fuse it with as many Exceed as I please!" **

The mechanical dragon roared blowing back a crater under it's feet as dozens of trees were torn out from their roots from the power behind the machine. **"FUHAHAHAHAHA! Nothing is impossible before the power of the king! The power of the king is absolute!" **the dragon roared.

The Exceed looked on in fear as the mighty beast tore apart the ground under it with only a roar, "Doroma Animu. . ." they trembled in fear.

"Doroma Animu. . . . in the language in this world, it means ''Dragon Knight''." Mystogun said in a cold sweat as he stared at the machine, "So it's got the reinforced armor of a dragon."

"A dragon?" Natsu said in disbelief.

"It does look like one, now that you mention it." Happy said in fear.

"It's his majesties most powerful weapon." Knightwalker explained looking up at Natsu with slight worry, "It's a mage canceler, a manned armor that negates any magic from harming the user while also reducing magic by over fifty percent. It's manned personally by the king himself." she bit her bottom lip as she stared at Natsu. "There's no stopping that thing. If you and your friends dare go against the king, you'll be slaughtered!" she shouted, "Natsu, if you come with me, then maybe I can talk the king into letting you live. You don't have to die along with these fairies."she begged.

"**Come my army, capture the Exceed!" **the king commanded.

"Yes sir!" they all shouted before flying up the skies above to capture the flying cats.

The Exceed scattered as the soldiers on their Legions flew up to attack the cats. Armed with magical cannons the soldiers shot beams of magic directly at the defenseless Exceed. Unlike the normal cannons back at the palace the cannons being shot were deadly in their own right.

Dozens of cat faced shaped lacrima fell onto the land of Edolas as the Exceed were turned into magical crystals from the soldiers cannons. Shouts of fright and fear filled the skies as the sky lite up with green beams of magic being shot at the magical creatures as rain of lacrima fell onto the earth.

Watching as Exceed struggled to escape capture by being turned into lacrima, Natsu couldn't help but feel angered. The poor innocent cats were all being captured into lacrima. Just like his nakama. Natsu grit his teeth not standing the site.

Happy suddenly bit back a hiss feeling Natsu's body fire up in anger. The Dragon Slayers eyes lite up with anger as he watched Happy's kind being turned into magical crystal.

"You can't actually tell me your actually enjoying this, Erza?"

Knightwalker's eyes suddenly snapped toward Natsu hearing his voice tremble with barely suppressed rage. Her usually cold eyes looking at him with confusion.

"What are you talking about?" she frowned as Natsu turned his mad eyes at her.

"This," he gestured to the shouts of grief and fear surrounding them in the midst of the soldiers magical raid, "You can't seriously tell me you approve of all that's going on! Don't tell me you can't hear their shouts of fear and pain!" he shouted, his voice nearly drowned out by shouts of soldiers and Exceed.

In the past, Knightwalker would of scoffed at the question. She would of said she didn't care what happened to Exceed. That she was following the king's orders. Knightwalker was a soldier. A captain. She was trained to follow orders without a second thought.

But the damned fire Dragon Slayer had done something to Knightwalker. Every time she thought about him, a strange foreign feeling crawled up her heart that she didn't understand. It was so strange. She had never felt that way before. It confused her yet, she wanted to know more about the feeling. It made her feel. . . happy.

Maybe it was because he had called her his nakama. Knightwalker never had a nakama before. Back in the military academy she had never associated herself with those weaker the herself. It was unfortunate that she was the strongest in the academy because she never saw any fit to stand beside her.

It wasn't until Natsu had beaten her that she had finally found someone to call nakama. And a whole flood gate of emotions had been opened up.

That's why Knightwalker found it difficult to answer Natsu as she stared at her men attacking the Exceed for magic. Where she had use to feel nothing as she watched others suffer, she felt a small ounce of regret.

Natsu frowned at Knightwalker's lack of response before sighing and turning away. "I'm not abandoning you, just so you know." he smiled sadly snapping Knightwalker out of her trance, "But, I can't just stand by as innocent suffer." he scratched Happy's getting a smile out of his friend as he turned look back at the mayhem, his friends already moving out to help the Exceed, "That's why I'm going out to stop Faust, so all this can finally end."

"ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY!" Knightwalker violently shouted back, "His majesty will kill you if you stand in his way!"

"I'm sorry Erza." Natsu grinned before Happy extended his wings to fly towards Faust.

Watching as Natsu flew away, Knightwalker was about to stop the baka of a Dragon Slayer who was off to his death before a familiar scarlet haired mage cut her off.

"Scarlet." Knightwalker growled as the Titania blocked her way, "What the hell are you doing! Don't you see I'm trying to stop that moron from killing himself!" she angrily shouted.

Erza shook her head getting a louder growl from Knightwalker, "I can't let you do that, Knightwalker. Natsu can take care of himself. He's always been able to fight against those stronger then him. The fact that his opponent is something like a dragon means he'll be fine." she smirked, "Theirs a reason why they call them Dragon Slayers."

Knightwalker shook with anger as she looked down before her face calmed. Looking back at her Earthland self Knightwalker disappeared in a silver blur.

Erza's eyes widened as she looked around for Knightwalker before her years of training alerted her to a slash to her back.

Steel clanged as Erza's sword met Knightwalker's spear, both glaring at one another as they tried to over power another.

"I see." the fairy hunter said calmly as her Velocity Spear grinded against Erza's blade, "The only way I'm ever going to be able to capture Natsu is by getting you out of the way." pushing back Erza's sword Knightwalker struck Erza with her spear blurry speed trusts.

Parrying the strikes, Erza smacked the pole of the spear to the side before kicking Knightwalker away. Noticing the Exceed holding her up start to breath heavily from the quick movements he was trying to keep up with the scarlet haired mage moved over to a small island city abandoned in the chaos. Letting of the Exceed, Erza gratefully smiled up at the black and white spotted cat that held her up.

"Thank you, Mr. Cat." she bowed getting a sweatdrop from the Exceed, "If I had caused you any trouble, please, hit me."

"Uhhhhh. . . no, that's alright." the winged cat laughed nervously before smiling at the mage, "But thank you for trying to protect my home. I guess you humans aren't all that bad." he smiled.

Watching as the Exceed began to fly away, Erza quickly jumped back from the odd jaw like shot of magic that stabbed into the ground infront of her. The shot of magic exploded into a dome of red hot flames a second later as Knightwalker jumped off her Legion to fight the scarlet mage.

Flames danced behind the fairy hunter from her explosion as she smiled darkly at the Titania. "I've always wanted to see who was stronger. There can't be two Erza's in the world. By the end of this battle, their will only be one Erza to take Natsu all for themselves." she smiled sweetly, the flames behind her flaring violently as her spear glowed an angry red.

* * *

"**Fall before the power of the king!" **dozens of purple lasers shot out of the mouth of the Doroma Animu turning every Exceed that got in it's line of fire into lacrima. Swiping it's metal tail at some of the Exceed that had decided to fight back, Faust shot out another magical beam at the cat's as they flew in the air from his swipe.

Faust grinned seeing the Exceed turn into magic crystal. They may of ruined his plans for raining down infinite magic with the lacrima from Earthland but that wasn't going to stop him from destroying the Exceed.

Seeing his sensors catch the eye of some of the Earthland mages flying to stop his men, Faust's Doroma Animu opened up it's mouth to gather an adequate amount of magic to finish of the magic. It was time to show them the power of a true king.

"**Disappear!" **he shouted before firing off a large azure-white laser at the mages.

"Not happening!" a certain Dragon Slayer shouted before a drilling blaze of fire magic clashed with the laser, "**_Mesturyu Ogi: Guren Rasen Kenkaku( Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Crimson Lotus: Spiraling Sword Horn)_**!"

"Natsu!" Lucy happily shouted from Coco's Legion recognizing the familiar fire magic fighting back against Faust's beam. Smiling as she saw her friend alright Lucy was about to shout down at him before she noticed Happy flying towards them. "Happy?" Lucy frowned noticing the small blue cat look down

with tears at his best friend fighting back against Faust, "What's wrong?"

Happy sniffed as he looked back at the busty blonde with worry, "It's Natsu. I wanted to go with him to fight the king, but he told me to go with you and Gray instead." Happy looked down sadly, "Now he's all by himself fighting a dragon."

Looking down at the spiraling drill of fire, Charlie smirked before a hurricane like vortex of wind spun around Natsu's spell.

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Charlie reassured Happy as they watched Natsu's spell begin to overpower Faust's, "He doesn't look like he's all alone."

"_**Tenryu no Hoko(Sky Dragon's Roar)**_!"

Drilling through the magical laser, Natsu's flames dispelled. Falling towards the iron head of the dragon Natsu's fist's lite up with fire as he brought them up in a hammer fist.

"**I don't think so, you impudent whelp!" **Faust laughed before bringing up the dragon's claws to swipe away the dragon mage.

"**_Tetsuryu no Ketsugo Kusari(Iron Dragon's Binding Chains)_**!"

Dozens of sharp tipped metal chains snaked themselves around both Doroma Animu's metallic arms , pulling them back. Faust looked back at where the chains originated only to see the red slitted eyes of another Dragon Slayer.

Gajeel smirked pulling the chains coming out of his arms as he laughed at the mechanical dragon in glee, "Gihihihih! I don't think so, Kingy." Gajeel grinned, "Your about to get a taste of what real dragon magic feels like."

"**_Karyu no Bakuhatsu Hama(Fire Dragon's Explosive Hammer)_**!" slamming both his fists on the head of Doroma Animu, Natsu jumped as a large explosion blew up on top of the dragons head. Flames and smoke covered the head of the machine as Natsu landed next to Gajeel.

Falling beside the two Dragon Slayers, Wendy breathed a sigh of relief having Natsu catch her as she fell from the sky. She smiled up at Natsu who grinned back before turning to look back at the smoking manned dragon.

Stretching back his arms, Gajeel looked down at the little blue haired Dragon Slayer with a quirked eyebrow, "Ya sure your ready for this kid." Gajeel frowned.

Wendy looked up at the iron Dragon Slayer with a confident smile, "Yup!" she nodded, "I may not an offensive mage, but I do have a lot of support type magic. I'll support you guy's on the side and try my best to fight."

"Don't underestimate yourself Wendy." Natsu grinned, "Your a Dragon Slayer. As much as I hate teaming up with this loser," he pointed towards Gajeel who gave him the middle finger in response, " we can beat this loser." he grinned confidently.

"**Loser?" **blowing back the fire and smoke obscuring his dragon head, Faust laughed as Doroma Animu leered down at the three Dragon Slayers with beaming red eyes, it's head undamaged by Natsu's attack, **"I am no loser. I am king of Edolas! And you little shits will know your place!" **he roared.

Doroma Animu's mouth snapped wide open as the barrel concealed in it's jaw concentrated a beam on magic in it's mouth. **"Bow before the king's almighty power! _Ryuuki no Chimei Reza(Riding Dragon's Deadly Laser)_!" **

A beam of red hot magic tore apart the earth in front the Dragon Slayers as they jumped back from the deadly attack. Running from the laser Gajeel growled noticing the beam of heat follow them. Looked like they weren't going to be able to outrun it.

Skidding to a stop Gajeel began to turn his skin into hard steel as his skin was covered in armored scales. Stretching out his arm towards the deadly laser, Gajeel stopped the laser with his steel scaled palms. He grinded his teeth feeling the laser fight to push him back.

Noticing the beam of magic stop chasing them, Wendy turned back towards Gajeel, frowning in worry seeing him struggle to hold back Faust's attack. He was having trouble holding it back and she knew the perfect spell to help Gajeel out. "_**Power of the stout arms that tears heaven. . .Amuzu(Arms)**_!" she chanted before a green glow envelope his fists.

Gajeel grinned feeling his arms suddenly strengthen as he pushed back Doroma Animu's laser. The girl was right when she said she was a support type. Molding the hand blocking the laser into a long black jagged blade Gajeel swiped the laser away before having it turned a large spearhead towards Faust's dragon. "_**Tetsuryuso: Kishin(Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs)**_!" multiple steel spears shot out of the iron Dragon Slayer's lance towards the mechanical dragon. The spears hit the dragon in rapid succession only to be swiped away by it's armored claws.

Faust laughed watching the Dragon Slayers poor attempts to damage his ultimate weapon fail. Fools. He had spent every ounce of power and money into making this impenetrable machine. It was indestructible! No type of magic could go through it's magic canceling armor. **"Just give up! No one can stand up against the power of the king!" **he grinned darkly.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Natsu yelled before jumping up and slamming a flame covered fist on top of the dragons head.

Red lights blared inside Faust's dragon in alarm as the machine fell onto the ground in a loud crash. Faust stared in disbelief as his weapon was being damaged. How was it possible for one feeble mage to damage his Doroma Animu? It shouldn't even be possible!

Slowly getting back up, Faust was unprepared for the spiked metal disk slamming into his weapons chest in high speeds, "_**Tetsuryu no Tategami So(Iron Dragon's Saw Mane)**_!" spinning in a ball with his black spiky mane tucked around him like a saw blade, Gajeel grinded against the magic canceling armor of the dragon. Sparks flew as Gajeel's spell kept grinding against the armor as Faust gnashed his teeth angrily. The spell was actually scratching the armor! His computers were blaring like crazy as the spell was starting to tear through.

"**Fly away, you annoying little dragon!" **Faust angrily shouted before swiping away the spiked disk. Opening the dragon's maw shot off a shot of magic at Gajeel, **"Now die!" **he laughed.

Ceasing his mad spin, Gajeel morphed his arm into a blade to cut away at the magic shot. "**_Tetsuryuso: Kishin(Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs)_**!" he shouted again as he rained down an onslaught of spears towards Doroma Animu.

The spears gashed the dragon's armor before being smashed off it's feet by a white blur. Natsu skidded a few feet away from the mechanical dragon with a smirk, his body glowing in a bright white aura from one of Wendy's support spells.

Spreading her arms out towards Gajeel, a white ethereal glow surrounded Wendy in a gust of wind, "**_Fast feet that run the heavens. . . Bania(Vernier)_**!"she shouted as the iron Dragon Slayer was enveloped in the same aura as Natsu.

The two elder Dragon Slayers smirked at each other before both started flying past Doroma Animu with talons of their respected element.

"**_Karyu no Kagitsume(Fire Dragon's Claw)_**!"

"**_Tetsuryu no Kagitsume(Iron Dragon's Claw)_**!"

Faust growled menacingly as his weapon was being damaged. How could these pathetic mages actually put a scratch on his dragon knight? It infuriated the king. He had spent time and money creating the perfect machine made for fighting mages and it was being damaged by three Earthland mages.

Sparks flew all around the dragon as Natsu and Gajeel kept tearing into the metal armor of the machine. Having had enough, Faust blew away the pesky mages with shock wave produced from his dragon's roar.

Turning his attention away from the older mages, Faust grinned darkly at the small blue haired girl as the back of his dragon shot off multiple missiles at the sky Dragon Slayer, **"Away with you! _Ryuuki-Dan(Riding Dragon Shot)_!"**

"**_Bania(Vernier)_!"** Wendy shouted as she flew back from the missiles blowing up. Running through the smoke, Wendy enchanted another spell to increase their defense, "**_Defense that protects the heavens. . . Yoroi(Armor)_**!"

Smirking as he felt the increase in defense, Gajeel pulled back his fists as he shot up at the dragon. "**_Tetsuryu no Muzukashi Kenju(Iron Dragon's Hard Pistols)_**!" he roared. Punching into Doroma Animu's chest, two large cracks punched into the dragon's chest.

"Dame." Gajeel growled as he jumped off the dragon, landing next to Wendy, "That spell was suppose to punch two holes through the armor, not crack it." he frowned.

"**_Karyu no Tekken(Fire Dragon's Iron Fist)_**!" slamming an uppercut up the Doroma Animu's chin, Natsu landed back next to Gajeel huffing a bit as he watched it fall to it's side, "Dame thing's tough, I'll give it that." he panted.

Wendy frowned as she looked back up at her friends, "Is it that tough?"

"You bet your sweet ass it's tough." Gajeel sighed as Wendy blushed, "Even with the power ups you gave us, we're still only able to scratch and crack it's armor. Dame thing's worthy of the title dragon."

The statement only got Natsu grin wolfishly as he watched Doroma Animu slowly get up, "I'm starting to fired up!" he shouted excitedly.

Gajeel stared at the fire Dragon Slayer with a flat stare, "Is fighting the only thing you ever think about?" seeing the pink haired mage nod caused Gajeel to smack his head with a sigh, "Your not normal, are you? I like fighting as much as the next guy, but I got other things going on inside my head while we're fighting for our lives."

A large gust of wind nearly blew back the Earthland mages as a dark aura grew around Faust's war machine. They stared in shock as they felt a large built up of magic gathered around Doroma Animu, it's armor beginning to turn black.

"**Unforgivable."** Faust whispered in uncontrollable rage, **"To think some impudent mages could actually damage my knight. My most powerful weapon. It's unforgivable!" **he roared before his dragon began to transform. Steam blew out of it's joints as it stood up on legs straight up, it's arms turning more human like a gauntlet arm. A long sword and a sky blue shield slid out of it's arms as it's tail went up to the back of it's head like a mane, it's dragon head folding into knight's mask with a grin plastered on it's face. The dragon Knight's eyes glowed an angry red as it raised it's blade up in the air, dark purple magic spiraling around the blade as Faust laughed down at the Dragon Slayers. **"Doroma Animu: Black Heaven! For damaging my weapon and ruining my plan for eternal magic, you will all suffer my weapons true form! Now disappear into the darkness! _Ryukishi no Tsubasa Funka(Dragon Knight's Blade Eruption)_!"** Faust cackled before swiping his blade at the dragon mages.

A black wave of magic was all Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy saw before being blown away by large eruption of magic that tore apart the earth like a volcano. A black eruption of magic sent the mages flying away as Faust laughed watching them in glee.

* * *

"_**Tenrin: Saimitama(Heaven's Wheel: Trinity **_**Shot**)!" Erza shouted in her Heavens Wheel armor as she slashed a wave of sword magic in a delta formation at Knightwalker. Spear head glowing purplish-black it morphed into a small black sphere that swung at Erza, "_**Juryoku no Yari, Gurabiti Koa(Gravity Spear, Gravity Core)**_!" the small sphere grew to the size of her body sucking in the spell and crushing it with it's pressure. Pulling back her spear, Knightwalker shifted it into it's Artillery Spear, sending shot after shot of magical bullets towards the knight who blocked each shot. The rapid fire of magic continued until Erza spun her blades around her to block the shots, the spinning blades glowed a silver blue as they slashed away the bullets until shot off towards Knightwalker in a mad spinning disk.

Jumping to side to avoid the deadly disk, Knightwalker was shocked to see the wheel of swords come shooting back at her back. Erza moved her arms as she controlled her _**Sakururen Sodo(Circle Sword)**_ with her telekinesis, sending the blades spinning back and forth at her counterpart. Knightwalker growled as small nicks were cut into her skin by the passing disk before finally having enough of the spell targeting her.

"_**Soryu no Yari, Buru Kurimuson(Double Dragon Spear, Blue Crimson)**_!" glowing in magic Knightwalker's spear split in two, turning into a frosty blue sword hilt and fiery red hilt with dragons head for guards. Swiping the blue sword hilt at the spinning swords, a blue frost of magic froze Erza's spell into ice before falling into pieces. The red dragon hilt spewed orange-red fire towards Erza in a burning torrent flames that the Titania blocked by spinning her blades like fans.

Fanning away the flames, Erza sent a bombardment of swords at Knightwalker. The fairy hunter flash freeze the shooting blades before slashing her dual blades at Erza in a cross pattern, "_**Buru Kurimuson: Rieto Herukurosu(Blue Crimson: Frozen Hell Cross)**_!" a blue misty cross of fire flew across at Erza that she quickly jumped to the side to avoid. The blue cross hit one of the many small buildings of their arena turning it into a pillar of hard ice before erupting in a shower of hot flames. Flying over to Knightwalker, Erza clashed the two swords against Knightwalker's blades of fire and ice. Slashing in a horizontal line Erza blocked the fairy hunter's frozen blade before swiping both her blades at Knightwalker's chest. Knightwalker flipped her staff like blades over to block the swords, flipping her opponent's weapon's over to slash at her her face.

Erza quickly jumped back from the burning blade, frowning as she suddenly felt her cheek burn from a shallow cut she thought she avoided. A flame thrower of both fire and ice shot towards Erza that she blocked with her steel wings folding over to protect her from the spell. She hissed feeling the intensity of the flames as her breath turned foggy from the ice chilling her wings. Shooting off a couple of swords concealed in her wings Erza blew back the dual element spells with a large gust of wind. The swords were luckily made of magic-negating steel so they flew through the flame and ice throwers into Knightwalker. Spinning her blades to block the swords, Knightwalker ran over to Erza swinging her hilts of fire and ice. Erza duck and weaved through the slashes of hot and cold sweating and shivering from the elemental strikes. Stepping to side to avoid a slash that would of cut her in half, Erza slapped the blunt side of her blade against Knightwalker's unprotected stomach getting a sharp gasp out of the hunter before she was sent flying away with a barrage of rapid fired swords.

Slamming against the side of a building Knightwalker openly snarled at her Earthland, ignoring the cuts and gashes littering over her body before disappearing in silver blur. Moving her head to left and right, Erza was unprepared for the freezing hot spell hitting her back from Knightwalker's sneak attack.

"_**Buru Kurimuson: Rieto Herukurosu(Blue Crimson: Frozen Hell Cross)**_!" the fairy hunter roared before Erza was frozen in a cross of ice. The cross began to glowed an eerie crimson red as Erza's face was frozen in a shout of pain before suddenly erupting in a pillar of scorching hot fire. Erza screamed in pain feeling the flames scorch her armor burning her.

Knightwalker smirked in sadistic pleasure watching her counterpart scream in pain. Moving to finish the job, Knightwalker was unprepared for all the fallen swords Erza had shot at her to suddenly float up around her in a dome of levitating swords. The dome of blades cornered her still before they began to fire upon her in rapid succession. The female captain grit her teeth in frustration as she tried to block all the raining blades in a small corner, failing as many of the swords cut into her from all corners.

"_**Tenrin(Heaven's Wheel)**_," Erza said hoarsely as the pillar of fire enveloping her dissipated, leaving her to fall onto her knee's, "_**:Ha no Mugen Odori(: Endless Dance of Blades)**_!"

Knightwalker fought off the urge to scream in pain as the blades shredded her body all over. Blood flew as she tried her best to parry the strikes to some of her vitals from the blades. Pointing her Ten Commandments at the ground, Knightwalker stabbed the spear in the earth just as it shined with black magic, "_**Gurabiti Koa: Zeroparusu(Gravity Core: Zero Pulse)**_!" a dark purple pulse of magic shot of the ground under Knightwalker pausing the raining dome of blades around her as they floated around her in a zero-g space created by her spell.

"Annoying fairy!" Knightwalker growled before sending Erza back all her swords back at her. Stopping the blades from turning into a porcupine with her telekinesis, the mighty Titania sent her swords back into her pocked dimension before switching into her _**Reitie no Yoroi(Lightning Empress Armor).**_ The new armor was colored in a golden and light bluish, the breastplate decorated by golden trimmings, and had thin plates going up to surround Erza's neck. Erza's head was adorned by a band with two ribbons on it, and styled in a long braid. Also, the armor came with a long spear, with a very large blade and a decorated circle resembling a shield attaching it to the shaft, which was adorned by a large ribbon.

Pointing the blade of her spear at the fairy hunter, Erza shot off a blast of lightning magic at scarlet haired spearwomen.

"_**Fuin no Yari, Runseibo(Sealing Spear, Runesave)!**_" slashing at the blast of lighting with her new spearhead, Knightwalker sealed away the the magic before sending it flying right back. Stepping back form her own magic shot mirrored back at her, Erza pointed back her spear towards Knightwalker with six sparking spheres floating around the tip of the blade, "_**Reitie: Kaminari Riboruba(Lightning Empress: Thunder Revolver)**_!" six continouse shots of loud thunder shot out of Erza's lance like a machine gun towards Knightwalker who blurred her spear to cut away at the magic.

_'This is getting us no where.'_ Erza inwardly sighed as she sweated from the constant number of spells she was sending at her counterpart. For every spell she sent flying at Knightwalker she had another that would counteract it. It was frustrating. Erza hissed in pain as her lance's rapid fire shots shook her badly burned arms. If only she had switched into her _**Entie no Yoroi(Flame Empress Armor)**_ before Knightwalker's spell hit her. The burns hurt just as much as Natsu's dragon flames.

Remembering the fire eating mage of her's, Erza grimaced noticing a stray bolt of thunder nick at his scarf still wrapped around her Edolas self. If she accidentally rendered his precious scarf to burnt rags, Natsu would never forgive her.

"Just give it up, fairy!" Knightwalker shouted over to Erza over the loud thundering shots of thunder, "You can't win against me! I'm the strongest warrior in all of Edolas and his king's second in command. A weak mage like can't stop me from taking what's mine!" mirroring the exact spell that was being fired upon her with her Sealing Spear, the scarlet haired captain shot six thunder shots back at Erza's spell.

Buildings were torn apart from the clashing of thunder against thunder in the small city around the scarlets, almost as if a mini thunder storm was raging in the middle of the city. Erza grit her teeth in anger realizing Knightwalker was referring to Natsu, her feelings for the Dragon Slayer causing her to openly glare at Knightwalker.

"Why are you so interested in Natsu, Knightwalker!" Erza shouted over the thunder, "Ever since I left him to fight you he'd start sweating nervously when I mentioned your fight with him. What hell happened!" she asked before both their spell's ended with one last big bang of thunder.

Skidding back from the electric explosion, Knightwalker charged back with her spear in it's Velocity form, blurring as she tried to cut Erza into pieces. "It's none of your business, Scarlet!" yelled the fairy hunter as they both turned into blurs that clashed all over the city. Craters tore apart the ground as mini shock waves blew apart their surrounding's from the clashing of sword and lance, "What business is yours that makes you think I'll talk to you about my nakama!"

"Because he's my nakama!" Erza shouted back in her cheetah patterned Flight Armor, "And what the hell are you talking about your nakama! Don't tell me-" she suddenly stopped as a thought struck her. If she could, Erza would of smacked her own forehead as she locked blades with Knightwalker. A crater blew up under their feet from from the shock wave produced from their clash, leaving Erza to stare at Knightwalker with a flat stare, "He called you his nakama, didn't he." she stated, not even bothering to ask as she knew Natsu long enough to understand the Dragon Slayer.

For the first time since meeting her Earthland self, Knightwalker stared at Erza with confusion as she nodded, "Yes. During our fight, Natsu had said he'd be my first nakama after finding out I never had one. Tsk." she scoffed with a small blush on her face that got Erza to raise a curious eyebrow, "Baka. It wasn't like I even had a damn say in it either. He was really adamant about being my nakama, even said he'd come back for me after the bastard knocked me out." she growled before suddenly frowning in thought, "Now that I think about it, how did that idiot get me to tell him I never had any nakama? I'm never really the talkative type, yet that baka got me talking throughout the whole fight." she said confusingly.

Erza sighed, "Yup, that's my Natsu for you. The idiot could get you spilling your deepest darkest secrets with just a spar if you don't carefully lock them up inside." she smiled before looking back at Knightwalker with a frown, "But what I don't get is if your his nakama, then why are you trying to kill him? If your new to this whole friend thing then here's some advice, don't kill your friend. It makes thing's really awkward when their dead." she deadpanned.

"Shut the hell up, Scarlet!" Knightwalker in annoyance with a tick mark on her forehead, "I'm not trying to kill him! I was actually trying to save that moron from fighting Faust before your little fairy ass stopped me! What the hell's wrong with you! I'm not trying to kill him. . . I'm actually trying to kill you and all his friends." she said matter-of-factly getting Erza to stare at her with a dropped jaw in disbelief, "There's a difference."

"That's not going to work." Erza said with a sweatdrop, "Why do you even care? I thought you were the terrifying Fairy Hunter of Edolas. Isn't it your job to kill fairies, not make friends with them."

Knightwalker smirked with a spark in her eye, "Ah, but he's not a fairy. Natsu's a dragon. Besides, I'm a women with certain needs and I do get lonely at nights. I'm sure he'd be able to take care of my needs." she smiled dreamily. Having an actual friend actually started to sound nice to Knightwalker. She never had one and maybe Natsu would be able to help her out with some of her personal problems. As much as she hated admitting it, she was lonely and the thought of having a friend she could lean on was already comforting.

Plus Natsu made her feel special in a certain way she couldn't explain since she had never felt this way before with anyone else and maybe he's be able to explain to her why her heart always beat fast when she thought of him.

Erza on the other hand had misinterpreted the deadly scarlet's words.

"What the hell!" she shouted furiously as her face began to match her hair color, inappropriate thoughts already racing through her head about the Dragon Slayer and the Fairy Hunter, "He's not some toy you can play with, Knightwalker! Like hell I'm going to even let you near him, you succubus!" the books she read on a regular basis borrowed from Levy wasn't doing the Titania any good as she was blushing up a storm that even Juvia would be jealous of.

Having had enough with the annoying redhead shouting such ridiculous nonsense Knightwalker pushed her back with her lance before switching her spear head into it's Artillery form. A powerful beam of purple light shot back Erza a couple of feet away from Knightwalker bruising her stomach as she had quickly switched back to her normal hearts-kruez armor. Landing against a ruined house Erza swung a large double sided axe at Knightwalker that spun in a blurring 180-degree axle.

Eyes wide, Knightwalker quickly sidestepped the spinning axle only to have it spin back towards her back. Not having enough time to completely dodge the ax, Knightwalker was left to move to the side to have her right shoulder gashed by the disk like ax. Blood gushed out the wound as she clutched onto it tightly to stop the bleeding, glaring murderously at the scarlet haired knight.

She couldn't afford to be injured if she intended to take Natsu away from king Faust. As much as she hated to admit it, she was going to have to bring out her strongest attack to finish off Scarlet. Knightwalker was wounded as she is, she didn't need another set of gashes framing her body. She really should of gotten into a better armor then her usual set.

Moving to swing another large ax at Knightwalker, Erza suddenly gasped in pain feeling an odd mixture of chilling numbness and scorching flames across most of her arms. Looking down to see the problem, Erza had to bite back a shout of pain as she noticed the skin of her arms and most of her body covered in a crimson blue hue, almost like a burn except for the feeling of both numbness and blistering heat. The spell that had hit awhile back most of done more damage then she thought.

"Don't worry, Scarlet." smirked Knightwalker noticing her looking over her frozen burns with grimacing eyes, "The burns won't last long. In a couple of minutes, they'll fade away. But they do hurt like hell, don't they?" she laughed as she clutched her heavily injured shoulder, "Looks like we're both about to reach our limit, huh? I'd say we both got a couple of more spells left to throw at each other before we're both running on empty." she said with smirk.

Erza returned the gesture, "You are a worthy opponent, Knightwalker. No wonder Natsu looked like he was ready to keel over after your fight with him. It looked you had put him through a shredder." she laughed with amusement before looking back at her with hard eyes, "You know, you don't have to fight us. Knightwalker, you could actually help us save the Exceed. Can't you hear their pained voices begging out for help?" she asked in frustration.

The fairy hunter's suddenly widened as a familiar sounding voice had asked nearly the same thing before moving to stop the madness in the skies. Her hand moved up to her forehead as Natsu's voice came ringing back at her.

_'You can't seriously tell me you approve of all that's going on! Don't tell me you can't hear their shouts of fear and pain!'_

"You don't understand." Knightwalker angrily whispered as her spear began to glow a brilliant rainbow white. A large gust of wind picked up around the female captain like a raging vortex as she glowered over at her counterpart with furious eyes, shining with unshead tears thinking back at her first nakama, "You both don't understand! Magic is what keeps us alive! Unlike your land, mine is on the verge of death as it's slowly losing all of it's magical energy! You, who have had magical energy since the beginning have no right to say what we have to do to survive!"

A jeweled spear with a golden hilt and a long blade shined brilliantly as it replace Knightwalker's old spear, blowing away the gust of wind picked up around her as she smirked arrogantly over at the Titania with her most powerful weapon, "_**Seso, Reiveruto(Saint Spear, Ravelt)**_. This is my most strongest form of my Ten Commandments, _**Seso(Saint Spear)**_, made by the best blacksmith in Edolas. Made to shake the very earth with it's strike."

"Deciding to end it this fight, huh?" frowned Erza before sighing as she was enveloped in a glow of light. Dissipating, Erza was revealed to in a pink armor with a simple breastplate joined to the collar. The armor had many wing shaped decorations. The armor's weapons of choice were a pair of identical swords, sporting large and decorated handguards reminiscent each of a pair of wings, and with the blades protruding near the hilts to house additional decorative motifs. Erza's hair was tied up in ponytail with a pink winged headpiece on her head. She looked back at Knightwalker with a small sense of pride as she said the name of one of her strongest armor's in her possession, " This is my _**Yosei no Yoroi(Armadura Fairy Armor)**_. It is the symbol of my guild and I wear it with all of my nakama behind me."

Knightwalker as purple hue of magic gathered around her spear with blue sparks bouncing around the blade, "So it's your strongest armor. Good." she grinned before running towards Erza with her spear wildly sparking with magic, "Because you just might not survive this next hit even with that armor of yours, Scarlet!" she roared.

The two swords at her side flared with a light emerald green as Erza ran up to meet Knightwalker with her blades ready, "Knightwalker!" she shouted back.

The two blades met as a purple sparking blue wall of magic fought to push the emerald green magic fighting to overpower it. The island the two scarlets floating on began to crack as the whole levitating mass of earth shook uncontrollably from the two powerful forces of magic fighting to overcome each other.

The island city couldn't take the magic power fighting ontop of it as everything within a mile radius was blinded by big flash of light before a large explosion shook the skies of Edolas. The fates of the two scarlets going unknown as it blew up.

* * *

"What the hell was that?" Gray frowned looking up the cloudy black sky as a large explosion rang all around them. Ducking under a magical bullet, Gray swiped his hand over a wave of soldiers that froze over from his ice magic before turning to look at Lucy with worry.

Lucy shook her head just as stumped as her friend at the sudden large explosion over the skies. Watching as one of the islands floating in the sky began to fall apart, Lucy could only pray that her friends were alright before going back to help the Edolas Fairy Tail fight back against the royal army of Faust.

* * *

Both Erza's stared in shock of their best's weapon and armor shatter into pieces as they fell on a large piece of earth that plummeted down to the forests of Edolas. Both glared at each other as their armors were horribly torn leaving enough to cover up their modesty before launching at each other with their fists to continue the fight.

"I can't lose!" Knightwalker furiously shouted as she punched Erza's face that made her fall on her back, "Not again! My king ordered me to kill you stupid fairies and that's what I'm going to do!" rolling ontop of Erza, Knightwalker moved her arms to choke her before Erza gripped her arms back from her neck, "Why don't you understand! Without magic my world will die! No matter how dark it may be, we must do whatever it takes to keep our magic!"

"So your willing to sacrifice innocent lives to save yourselves!" Erza roared in anger as she looked back at her counterpart in anger, "That isn't the right way to live! Natsu would never agree with your cruel way of thinking and yet he calls you his nakama! If you were really his nakama then you would see how wrong your way of living is!"

"Shut up!" Knightwalker angrily cried as she began to pummel Erza's face with punch after punch, "How can you understand! How can Natsu understand! Without magic my world will-"

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Erza violently cut her off as she pushed the fairy hunter back up with her arms gripped tightly by her sides, "We're alive, aren't we! Even though we don't have any magic left, we're alive aren't we!" she shouted Knightwalker's face getting her to look at her stunned, "We both ran out of magic a long time ago and we're still alive! Even with your fight with Natsu, you we're still alive even though you we're probably empty! So was Natsu! All three of us are still alive!"

The boulder they were falling on began to fall faster to the ground as both Erza's stood up with each others faces at butting against each other. Wind blew back their beautiful scarlet red hair as they both plummeted to the earth, "People don't just die because they don't have magic! Which means even if your world loses all it's magic, they won't die!" Erza looked deep into Knightwalker's eyes as they started to cloud over with small tears, "Theirs a reason why Natsu wanted to become your nakama. Not just because he wanted to bring you out of your loneliness but because he saw the same heart that was capable of loving like the rest of us! You've got the same evil and weakness as I do, Knightwalker so you must have the same heart as I do that's capable of loving others! The fact you were so worried about Natsu fighting Faust proved that your capable of loving just like I love my nakama! So listen to the voices shouting out with your heart, listen to their true voices!" she shouted with passion.

'Is this Erza . . . .is this. . . me?' tears fell out of Knightwalker's eyes finally being able to hear the voices of Edolas. They were crying, begging, pleading, and shouting for help. Is this what everyone else was able to hear? Was this why they were all fighting to stop them from turning the Exceed into lacrima? It. . . was staring to make sense. They were all shouting out in pain.

"**GAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHH!"**

_'Natsu!'_ Knightwalker's eyes widened in alarm hearing a very familiar scream of pain from close by. Just as they landed in the forest's of Edolas, both Erza's were able to catch an eye of a black dragon like knight tearing up the land with it's blade of spiraling magic, laughing in glee as it erupted another part of the old coliseum it was standing.

A large dust cloud blew up as they landed, obscuring the large crater created from impact. Both scarlet's laid in the crater looking up at the sky as the fighting around them continued to rage.

"Natsu. . ." weakly getting up on her elbows, Knightwalker looked back at her counterpart with a frown as Erza slowly got up too, "Natsu. . . I heard Natsu scream." she said worriedly, still too beaten up to stand on her feet.

Moving her to the side where she saw the dragon knight, Erza couldn't help but feel worried as she watched the machine blast a mile long beam of magic at it's unknown foe. "He needs our help." she panted as tried to stand back up on her legs. Summoning a sword with the little magic she had, Erza used the blade as support as she walked towards the women that had only moments ago tried to kill her, "Did I snap you out of your stupid trance or do I have to beat you with the blunt side of my sword until you pass out." she weakly glared with a smile.

A small smile made it's way to Knightwalker's face as she looked up weakly at the second person to beat her fair and square, "I guess you win, Scarlet." she said with a small grin, "Oddly enough, I don't feel like I want to butcher you into tiny little pieces anymore. Strange, isn't it?" she weakly laughed getting a true smile out of Erza.

Picking up her Edolas self, Erza carefully leaned Knightwalker against her as she slowly made her way towards the direction of Faust's ultimate weapon, "It doesn't matter if one of us wins of lose, we're both Erza. We can't lose to each other." she smiled getting a small chuckle out of her counterpart, "Now let's hurry up and save that baka. I think I got enough magic to summon my _**Hisho no Yoroi(Flight Armor)**_ or my _**Tenrin no Yoroi(Heaven's Wheel Armor)**_ to fly us over their."

Knightwalker appreciated the help but shook her head as she reached down her cracked bikini like armor for a silver colored bracelet with a glowing lacrima, "Thanks Scarlet, but I think I can get their on my own. Theirs something I need to tell my majesty that might stop this senseless battle." after hearing her counterpart's speech she had learned a very important lesson that had helped open her eyes to the world she tuned out, just like everyone else in Edolas. Maybe, if they all heard the same thing, they would all stop this useless fighting.

Erza frowned at Knightwalker thinking that trying to talk to the king wouldn't do them any good, before watching Knightwalker glow with a silver aura. Realizing the magic looked eerily similar to her speed type spear, Erza moved to stop her only to have her kick her away with a sad smile, "Sorry Erza, but my king needs to learn the same lesson you taught me." she apologized, vanishing into thin air a moment later.

"Knightwalker, you idiot!" Erza angrily shouted before re-equipping into her Flight Armor to chase down the fairy hunter to keep her from doing anything stupid.

* * *

"_**Ryukishi no Teikoku Jun(Dragon Knight's Imperial Order)**_!"pointing the tip of his Doroma Animu's blade at the annoying pink haired Dragon Slayer, Faust blew a ring of purplish-black magic at the mage. The spell surrounded Natsu while he was panting on his knee's before the next thing he knew, he felt a powerful force of gravity try to crush him in it's wake. Getting tired of watching the dragon mages suffering, Faust swiped away the annoying boy with his blade, sending him flying against the broken boulders of the coliseum.

Black spots blinded Natsu's vision as he weakly tried to get up only to fall back on his stomach with pained cry. His body was too beat up from Doroma Animu's beating's, the durable machines armor only scratched from their constant spells. A vile of blood suddenly vomited out of his mouth feeling the his insides heavily bruised by it's fists. Dammit, he couldn't even make a dame fist!

_'W-Wendy. . .' _Natsu's eyes caught the blue hair of the sky Dragon Slayer laid on the ground, her small body heavily bruised from a magical beam of light that hit her while they weren't looking. Her eyes were closed from instantly being knocked out by the powerful spell that would of killed her it weren't for her protection spell that reduced the damage. If only he and Gajeel had payed more attention towards her then Wendy wouldn't be so beat up.

"G-Gajeel." he whispered in pain as he looked over the black spiky maned mage. Gajeel was currently laid over a large column with various gashes and burns coating him all over from trying to take on the attacks of Faust's dragon. The idiot had thought that maybe they could drain the mechanical dragon's supply of magic by making it spam it all out on them. That's when they learned that the bastard's machine was capable of draining all the magic in Edolas to use at his disposal. Faust's whole speech about his people suffering while he was the one with the unlimited amount magic to do as he pleased was bunch of fucking bull!

That's why Natsu was going to use every ounce of magic he had left to take down the power mad king. So he could free the people of Edolas from their fear by getting rid of the one spreading the fear.

"**Still standing I see?" **chuckled Faust watching Natsu weakly stand up on shaky legs. Dame Dragon Slayers were as durable as his dragon's armor. Such power was too great to go to waste. If he didn't accidentally kill them, then they would make a great power source to rain more endless magic onto his world. **"But I'm afraid this little game is over. My Doroma Animu's armor has been damaged enough so I think it's time to end this." **he said as he raised the dragon's blade.

"Heh, don't count yourself the winner yet." Natsu weakly laughed as he glared up at the dragon knight, "As long as I'm still standing, your plans for eternal magic are as real as me learning algebra." he smirked, "It ain't ever happening!"

"**Fine with me."** shrugged Faust inside his dragon, **"One less Dragon Slayer won't really matter. I still have two. That's plenty enough for my plans. Now die!" **preparing to strike the pink haired boy away to an eternal sleep, Faust had to suddenly stop the descent of his attack as a very familiar scarlet haired captain appeared out of thin air infront of Natsu.

"Erza?" Natsu said tiredly staring at the beaten up hunter with heavy eyes.

"**Knightwalker?" **Faust looked down curiously, **"What is the meaning of this? Why are you in the way of my almighty judgment of this impudent little Dragon Slayer?"** he asked curiously.

Knightwalker looked up at her king knowing he could see her through his machines vision with pleading eyes, "Your majesty, please stop all this senseless violence!" Knightwalker shouted pleading to her king, "We don't need all this magic to live! And even if we do need magic, their has to be a better way then this to save our world!" she begged with tears running down her cheeks.

Faust stared in shock seeing his most loyal and trusted captain cry tears of regret. This was the women who could kill her heart literally if he had ordered her on whim. Faust's strongest and most unbreakable soldier was actually shedding tears right before his eyes and he couldn't believe it. Although the shock wasn't enough for him to ignore what the scarlet women had just said, **"What the hell are you talking about, Knightwalker? You know just as much as I do that without magic our world will die away like a withering plant. That important message should have been drilled deep inside your head back in the academy and you always agreed on it." **

"That's not true!" she loudly cried looking at Doroma Animu with a small smile, "Even if we don't have any magic, we won't die! It's impossible. We don't need it to live, all we need is each other to survive, to push us moving forward into the future! And besides," she said with a new light in her eyes that surprised the king, "I've learned that nothing is eternal, not even magic. But," she looked back smiling at the tired Dragon Slayer who grinned back with bloody teeth, "nakama are as close to eternal then anything else in this world. Nakama is it's own kind of magic that reaches the borders of forever."

A deaf silence enveloped the ruin coliseum, Doroma Animu stopping it's functions as it's maker looked on at Knightwalker with a blank expression after hearing the fairy hunter's touching and deep words. Knightwalker smiled hopefully seeing her king stop to think about what she had just said. Faust would have to be heartless to ignore her touching words and seeing as he shut down his ultimate weapon to pause and think made her believe that she had gotten through to king.

Natsu grinned widely at Knightwalker noticing a major change in her since the last time he had seen her. Finally, she could her the voices with her heart and she wasn't ignoring them. She even still had his scarf wrapped protectively around her neck. Besides the few small cuts and a burned hole he was pretty sure he could fix she had done a good job protecting Igneel's scarf. The fact that she still had it proved that she wasn't as cold as she made herself look like. There was a loving heart under all that darkness after all.

"**Knightwalker. . ." **Faust whispered lowly enough for them to still hear them, **"Is this how you really feel?" **he curiously asked.

The scarlet haired hunter nodded with a bright smile, her still damp from all the emotions running through her, "Yes. . . this is how I really feel. Some friends of mine got me to open up my heart to the world and I realized what we are doing is wrong. We don't need magic to live, we just need each other."

"**I see." **he sighed before his dragon's red eyes looked down at, **"What you had just said. . . had really touched my heart, Knightwalker. If someone as loyal as you were to believe all this was wrong, then I'd have no choice but to open up my heart as well. And my heart," **he sniffed, **"is telling me your right. What we are doing is wrong."**

"Really?" Knightwalker happily smiled.

"**No, of course not you traitor." **Faust snorted before slapping away the redhead with his dragon knight's flat blade. A large plum of smoke rose up from where Knightwalker had been tossed like rag doll against one of the far walls of the crumbled arena, her beaten body lying motionlessly as broken rubble began to fall on her unmoving body. Natsu stared blankly at the unmoving body, his lips trembling as he struggled to say his new nakama's name.

"**Pfft! Telling me we don't need magic to survive. How upsurd! To think she even thought I didn't even know that tiny bit of information."** Faust cruelly laughed getting Natsu to stare up at the black dragon knight ghost white eyes that were still in shock, **"I know we don't need magic to actually live. You have to believe that stupid little rumor I spread long ago to make them all do my bidding. Although it's still surprising to find out my most loyal soldier was easily brainwashed by you Earthland mages. Oh well," **he shrugged inside his machines control room, **"she isn't a problem anymore. Knightwalker was heavily injured from what I could tell and that last hit most of been the final blow. One less broken tool to worry about."** he laughed before his dragon knight moved to block a powerful sword strike from up above.

"YOU BASTARD!" Erza roared as she clashed a bastard sword in her Heaven's Wheel against the dragon's blocking forearms, her eyes wide in uncontrollable anger as she angrily snarled at the dragon's glowing red eyes, "How could you be so heartless!"

_'Erza. . .?' _Natsu numbly stared.

Faust scoffed as he looked at the armored mage with disgust, **"Another fly?" **he said annoyingly before flinging the mage roughly away up against a floating island with black sparking arm.

A soundless scream left Erza's mouth impacting against the side of the island creating a large crater where she fell paralyzed in pain from the throw. Sparks danced around her numb body from the black lightning forearm coursing throughout her body in shocking agony. Her body painfully twitched as she look from the crater down at who Faust with half closed eyes in pain. Dammit, was this it?

"**I've had enough with all these nuisances!" **Faust madly shouted as his dragon began to gather an insane amount of magical energy from all over his land. Doroma Animu's grinning mouth opened up to reveal the cannon barrel inside it's head, the barrel already spinning a highly dense sphere of magic in it's jaw as Faust started laugh uncontrollably with a bit of madness in his voice. **"You all want stop me from taking this worlds magic? Well then I'll happily give it back! Here," **he grinned as he pointed the spell towards Erza who could only stare helplessly back, **"let's see if you can survive all of Edolas magic, fairy!" **he cruelly grinned.

"ERZA!" Natsu loudly shouted as he tripped over his feet to save his friend. His beaten up body gave out on him quickly, his legs trembling in pain as he fell flat on his stomach. Natsu desperately tried to get back up only fall back on the cruel ground. This couldn't be happening! Tears began to freely run down his cheeks as he watched helplessly as more and more purplish-black magic spiraled around the dragon knight's mouth.

_'GET UP!'_ the ground under him began to steam from the heat his body putting out, his magic responding to his despair, _'GET THE FUCK UP GODDAMMIT! I can't just stand around as my friends are killed by some power mad bastard! Erza needs me! They both do! So, GET THE FUCK UPPPPPPPP!' _the damage Natsu had suffered at the hands of the king's machine were sadly too much for the Dragon Slayer's body. No matter how hard he tried to will himself to move, his body wouldn't listen. Eyes shaking in both despair and painful agony, Natsu could only stare helplessly as another one of his nakama was about to die.

"**Now die, you worthless little fairy! _Ryukishi no Hoko(Dragon Knight's Roar)_**!" a giant beam of azure-white shot out of Doroma Animu's mouth as Faust laughed in mad joy as his roar flew up at Erza in a deadly flash.

A small smile made it's way to Erza's face as looked down at the spell only moments away from reducing her into nothing. The last thing the beautiful scarlet haired knight saw before being flooded by a bright light was the sobbing face of her lovable Dragon Slayer. She smiled sadly at Natsu before saying something to him that sadly got lost in the roar of spell hitting her.

The entire island. The 10-mile long and 10-mile wide island, was obliterated with dragon knight's roar, the azure-white laser like dragon's roar swallowing it in it's wake as it reduced it into nothingness.

Watching in broken despair as what was left of the island crumbled away fell back to the earth, something in Natsu's head completely snapped.

Hoping to see the look of a broken man on his knee's on the Dragon Slayer's face, Faust nearly jumped out of his seat inside his Doroma Animu's when a giant pillar of orange-red fire consumed Natsu. About to blow away the annoying flames surronding the Dragon Slayer the odd sound of munching suddenly caught the king's attention as he stared curiosly down at the raging storm of fire.

It was almost as if. . . the mage was eating his own fire.

What he saw next chilled every bone in his body as he saw glowing red slitted eyes look back at him before the thing inside the pillar of fire let out an earth shattering roar.

_**ROOOOOOOOAAAARRRR!**_

* * *

Gajeel suddenly flinched in pain as he suddenly stopped running. Turning his head while moving the scarlet red hair of the women on his back from his view, Gajeel was left to stare at a massive pillar of fire erupted out from the ruins of the arena they had just escaped from.

"What's wrong, Gajeel?" Wendy frowned stopping from running towards the familiar scent of strawberry sweets only a half-mile away.

Cluthcing onto the scar on his right arm, Gajeel angril growled as he stared back at the pillar of fire with slight worry, "Don't tell me that idiot did what I think he did!" he harshly said before an ear piercing roar answerd his thoughts.

_**ROOOOOOOOAAAARRRR!**_

"THAT FUCKING IDIOT!" nearly dropping the beaten up redhead he was carrying in anger, Gajeel looked back at where he knew Natsu was with nothing but uncontrollable rage as he held an almost death grip on his scarred arm.

"What happened Gajeel! Is Natsu alright?" Wendy said worridly.

"No! That fucking dumbass isn't alright!" he shouted slightly scaring the blue haired girl before calming himself down, "Flame breath broke the one rule that we were sworn never to break by our parents and now he's probably going ape-shit all over Edolas!"

Wendy looked confused before what her foster mother, Grandine, had told her long ago came back at her.

"D-Don't t-tell me he. . ." the little Dragon Slayer trembled as she looked up at her senior with worry.

"Yup." frowned Gajeel before a large explosion tore apart the coliseum behind them into rubble, "The idiot broke the one and only rule of the Dragon Slayer's. The forbidden taboo." he grit his teeth in anger as Wendy looked back with tear filled eyes.

"The dumbass ate his own fire."

_**ROOOOOOOOAAAARRRR!**_

* * *

**13,000 words! Like my algebra teacher alway's say's, I make money!  
**

**Not literally but you guy's and gal's know what i mean.**

**Well, their's one last chapter left before we say good-bye to the Edolas arc and enter a new one. I actually won't go into the S-class exams next. Not yet of course. I got my own personal arc made up while we all wait for more of the manga to come out. If I just dived in to the war with Grimoire Hearts, I'd be rushing into the story too soon.**

**Be patient if you were hoping for the S-class exams to be up next. I promise this next arc will focus on our favorite pink haired Dragon Slayer and his relationship with the two deadly yet sexy Erza's.**

**Now for business. **

**I currently got two stories I've been working on in my documents and I'm planning on finishing their first chapters but I don't know which one to focus on more. That's why I'm going to put up a poll on my profile were you, the readers, will decide which one I should finish first.**

**The first one is called The Growing Dragon. It's about Natsu and Cana getting drunk during the celebration of the guild being re-built and spending the night with each other. We all know what happen's next. The story will focus on Natsu's growth as he will have a lot of growing up to do if he is going to be a father and husband at a young age. This story is unique and will have a good amount of comedy as we all know that Natsu being a daddy is going to be hilarious.****  
**

**The next story is called A Time Before Fairy Tails. The story starts right after the fateful day that Igneel left Natsu. It always bugged me that we never knew what happened to Natsu before joining Fairy Tail. It's all just a giant blank. Which is perfect story molding clay for a new tale. The story will be about Natsu and his adventure on finding Igneel all by himself while meeting some familiar faces that he wouldn't of met till he joined the guild. The whole story of course will drastically change. By whole story I mean the Canon Fairy Tail. The little changes Natsu makes will even change the way you see Fairy Tail. It is of course a Harem story. The dragon needs some love.**

**Their they are. I'll post the polls up as soon as I can so you all can get to voting for your favorite choice. Till then, Read and Review.**

**Now if you all excuse me, I'm going to be staying up tonight to watch Deadman Wonderland on Toonami tonight. That show is fucking interesting and fun to watch.**

**NeoShadows fading out. **


	6. From Teary Eye's, GoodBye Edolas

**Dame am I tired. Yo, this is NeoShadows with a new chapter.**

**At five-thirty in the morning. That's right, I stayed up allllll night to finish this chapter and am knocking myself out with a frying pan after this.**

**You have no idea how hard it is trying to get some free time to write when you have a little sister who hog's the laptop. I finally had all day and yesterday to finish this thing up.**

**Anyway, here's the new chapter you have all been waiting for. Sorry it took so long. I feel like a bastard for making you all wait.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the right's to Fairy Tail. It belong's to Hiro Mashima. Holy shit! It's light outside! I wonder how long it takes Mashima to draw a chapter. Poor bastard. He's probably as tired as I am.**

* * *

**Chapter 6: From Teary Eye's, Good-bye Edolas.**

* * *

A loud ferocious roar tore apart the surrounding area of the ruined coliseum as a small shower of embers rained upon a mile radius, the twinkling embers beauty only masking the horrible anguish of one Dragon Slayer.

Faust, the king of Edolas, stared paralyzed at the monstrosity infront of him before being engulfed in a large pillar of scorching flames. The pillar of dragon flames continued to rage on before Doroma Animu jumped out, it's midnight black armor smoking from the intensity of the fire as it skidded on it's clawed feet to a stop. Unable to even take a second to breath a sigh of relief, Doroma Animu quickly raised up it's shield to block the onslaught of baseball shaped flames. Unlike the usual fire that the dragon mage had fired at him, the flames that hit his shield violently blew up into a flood of blazing orange-red that threw Faust's machine back. Slamming against the crumbled remains of the ancient arena, Faust couldn't ignore the blaring sirens going up in his dragon from the damage it was taken. His mighty weapon was starting to take too much damage. If that-that. . . _**thing **_continued to thrash around his Doroma Animu, it would eventually cease to function.

Faust felt a shiver of fear run down his spine as another roar burst out of the raging storm of hellish flames surrounding the mag-no, that thing inside the storm of fire was no longer human. It had lost it's last thread of humanity the moment it recklessly fired a mile long line of fire at Doroma Animu despite the fact that Natsu could see a couple of his fairy friends flying in the same direction. The fairies were lucky enough to fly out of the way of the blaze in time as the spell reduced most of Edolas forests into ash.

What the hell had happened to the boy? One moment he was a helpless, sniveling, sobbing mess that could only watch as he eradicated the the annoying scarlet fairy and the traitor in his ranks from the face of Edolas. And the next thing Faust knew he was surrounded by the very flames of hell.

That's when everything began to fall down hill.

Piercing red eyes glowed inside the hellish storm staring back at Doroma Animu, an unhuman growl escaping the flames before blowing back the flames surrounding it with a wave of it's arm.

And with the disperse of the flames, the Dragon Slayer concealed withing in his own magic revealed himself to all of Edolas.

Only Natsu was more dragon then slayer.

The menacing cruel grin of a dragon had replaced the happily grinning face of the spiky rose haired boy. Natsu's head had turned more dragon like through his transformation of eating his own fire, his pupil-less eye's glowing red in hate. Blood red scales covered his skin from top to bottom, his clothes completely burned off with the exception of his trousers which loosely clung on to him. Midnight black claws gleamed dangerously, twitching in anticipation as Natsu flexed his new scaly arm. His hair had completely been burned off with his ear's turning red with scales as they stretched into pointed dragon ears. Bones and muscle grew out of the boy's tailbone as a red lizard tail swung behind him.

The now dragon like Natsu grinned openly at Faust, his pointed teeth and fang's adding to the his already inhuman like features.

It completely baffled Faust. He couldn't understand what had happened to the mage to make him turn into that _thing_! He wasn't even human anymore. What kinda magic was this? Dragon Slayer's had bodies similar to dragon's. No one ever said that they could turn into one! The magic energy coming off the thing was insane, his magic sensor's couldn't even get an exact read on the magical levels the miniature dragon was putting out. The level of magic the dragon mage was releasing was. . . was . . . was. . .

Magnificent.

A power hungry grin stretched across Faust's face just thinking of what he could do with that kind of Dragon Slayer magic at his disposal. Oh the possibilities! He could be the complete ruler of the entire world with that kinda of magic energy at his disposal. The fear of the dragon magic was drowned out by Faust's own power mad greed. All he had to do was bring the fool on the brink of death and he'd stop fighting back. Then he could drain as much magic as wanted from the ignorant fool.

Natsu stared back at Faust with possessed anger glowing in his eye's before vanishing in a blurry red afterimage. Faust quickly scanned the area for the Dragon Slayer, his Doroma Animu's eye's darting all over the place in alarm. The little dragon's transformation had seriously given the mage a big speed boost.

Multiple tears and gashes littered Doroma Animu's armor a second later as Natsu blurred back and forth around the mechanical dragon knight, his black claw's cutting into the magic canceling armor with ease like it was nothing. Faust growled in annoyance before smacking away Natsu with his shield, timing the right moment to catch the mage off guard. Natsu bounced off the shield towards one of the fallen pillars only to flip to catch himself by landing his taloned feet against the pillar and pushing off the stone with insane force that blew it up with a crater. Flames covered Natsu as he spun around himself like a bullet shooting towards Doroma Animu with intent to pierce through the king's armor.

The dragon knight quickly sidestepped the flaming bullet with ease. Raising it's blade over it's face Doroma Animu sent flaring blade of purple magic flying at the mage. Skidding on his feet Natsu swiped his scaled palm at the magic blade, sending it shooting back towards Doroma Animu. Doroma Animu blocked it's own magic spell before the wheel's and gears in it's feet whirled to life. Rock's and dust were violently kicked up as Doroma Animu shot off towards the miniature dragon with it's blade ready to strike. Natsu grinned at the dragon knight before raising up his clawed fingers. The midnight black claws suddenly clicked as they grew into a long blade five feet long fused together from his claws. A loud clang and an eruption of earth resonated from the two dragon blades meeting each other, both grinding their swords against each other in a large crater created from the deadly strikes. Growing another black blade out of his other claws Natsu began to rain blow after blow of sword strikes at the defending Doroma Animu, each strike pushing back the dragon knight bit by bit.

Opening the mouth of Doroma Animu's concealed cannon barrel, Faust began to shot off a barrage of magical cannonballs at Natsu, "_**Ryukishi Kakusanho(Dragon Knight's Spreader Cannon)**_!"

The scatter shot of magic erupted in Natsu's face with explosive force that sent him flying back on his back. Not wanting to give the dragon the chance to get back up, Faust sucked the magic from all over his kingdom into his blade that spiraled around the deadly weapon with an ominous black tint. Faust grinned as he watched the magic gather around Doroma Animu's blade, he would love to see that small little lizard get back up from this next spell.

Clasping both hands on the hilt of the sword, Doroma Animu lifted it's blade high up into the air, a large gust of wind spiraling around it from the magic energy being condensed into the blade. Growling madly at being shot away, Natsu turned to look back at Doroma Animu with a snarl only to stare curiously at all the magic surrounding the machine. What little common sense was left inside Natsu's head was ignored as his dragon transformation left him with only the instincts to fight and wreck chaos upon everything in sight, the immediate sense of danger coming off the blade going completely ignored.

"**Now bow you little shit!** _**Ryukishi no Kessho Okite(Dragon Knight's Final Commandment)**_!**" **Faust laughed in glee before swinging down the dragon's blade at the ignorant little dragon.

A flood of purplish-black magic with dozens of dozens of bullets mixed in rained down upon Natsu who stood still watching the killer magic coming down on him.

The spell hit tearing a large mile gash long across the land before exploding in a shower of earth from the magic blade. A giant spike of dirt and dust blew up along the gash like volcano smoke that could be seen from as far away as the kingdom of Edolas. More eruptions blew up inside the smoke as Faust madly fired a shower of missiles into the fray to keep the dragon down that rocked the entire land scape with it's hellish explosion.

Waving away the smoke with his it's blade, Doroma Animu was unprepared for the vicious claws of Natsu ready to tear into it's armor. Natsu's black talons flashed in blinding speeds with intent to tear apart Doroma Animu's annoying armor. The only thoughts going through his head were the intents to slaughter everything in sight. Faust grinded his teeth in frustration as his dragon knight struggled to keep out of the way of the dragons claws, the annoying salamander's attacks already tearing the top layer of his armor apart. Was this the Dragon Slayer's true power? Incredible. To think, a human taught under a fabled beast would be capable of containing all this power.

A red blur pasted by Doroma Animu's head that it quickly smacked away only to have Natsu cling on to the appendage with his claws digging into the metal. Shooting off a shot of magic at the pest, Doroma Animu was left wide open for scorching hot stream of fire to wash over it's face. Smoke steamed of the machine as the exoskeleton of Doroma Animu began to lightly melt away. **"You annoying little shit!"** Faust furiously roared. Small cannon barrels concealed inside it's armor rained down an endless gunfire of laser bullets upon Natsu to try to peel off the dragon mage. The gunfire of magic was too much for Natsu as he was sent flying to the ground with a boom. Stomping a foot on the downed beast, Faust snarled watching the transformed boy try to tear off his weapon's foot with his teeth, **"Little shit! Your nothing but a tiny salamander under my feet! You'll pay for damaging my ultimate weapon with your stupid little spells of ember and brim stone, nothing but little flecks of heat compared to my dragon Knight's breath!"** lifting up the foot crushing the Dragon Slayer, Faust mercilessly pummeled the salamander deeper into the ground with it's taloned feet, **"But don't worry. I'm not going to kill you. No, that would be a waste of incredible magic energy. I'll just beat you within an inch of your life and enslave you as an endless power source for my kingdom!"** he laughed with sadistic glee.

Small cuts began to cover over Natsu's blood red scales as the rain of stomps were starting to cut into his skin. The steel talons made from the finest metals in Edolas fused together actually beginning to dig holes into his durable dragon scales. But pain didn't register inside his anger warped mind. Destruction and havoc were all that were going through his head, his humanity having left him the moment he saw his two nakama killed right before his eye's before losing into the burning hate. Flames erupted all around Natsu that morphed into a giant flame claw that caught the dragon knight in his grip. Grabbing the knight's feet mid stomp, Natsu dug his claws deep into the steel with a roar, his glowing red eyes intensifying into a menacing shade of dark blood red. The claws made of fire magic ruthlessly tossed Doroma Animu away before Natsu pelted the machine with fireballs from his maw.

Doroma Animu's shield blocked the ball of fire that shook it's mechanics from the intensity of the magic that left black burns on the it's protection. Dozens of lasers shot off from the machines chest in rapid succession towards the salamander like mage.

The soft, firm soil under Natsu's feet began to glow an angry red before the ground exploded into a pool of lava that flowed under his talons. A wall of lava then rose up to form a barrier around Natsu to protect him from the lasers coming at him.

Frowning as he watched his attack being consumed by the wall of lava surrounding the beast, Faust switched the elemental lacrima inside Doroma Animu into one that would nullify the dragon's magic.

A blue hue of magic surrounded the blade of Doroma Animu as waves of water magically flowed around the weapon. Slashing a wave of water at the magma, Faust watched on as the molten earth hardened and crumbled away. Another switch with Doroma Animu's lacrima and a storm of dark clouds blocked out the moon. Thunder and lightning clashed all around the dragons only to be drawn towards the steel blade of Doroma Animu's sword. The deformed madly grinning face of the dragon knight looked down at Natsu as it raised up the heavens lightning enveloping it's sword in the rain.

World consuming light blinded Natsu as god's almighty lightning struck from Doroma Animu's downward slash. Unspeakable pain momentarily flooding his hate possessed mind, the glowing red eyes of the dragon flickering for a brief moment as he was free to think clearly, _'E-Erza. . . where am I? Why does everything hurt so much?'_ another bolt of lightning hit, flicking the switch inside his back. Hate once again consumed him as all the dulled away. Two blades made from his claws fusing together on each hand drew the lightning striking him like lighting rods, stopping the agony coursing through his veins. Sparking yellow glowed around black blades of talons before being flung back at Faust's dragon knight in two arcs of dazzling lightning.

"**AAAAAAAAGGHHHHHHH!" **the attack struck as Faust was treated to an unmeasurable amount of sparking volts hitting his weapon. Even from inside his anti-magic armor the lightning still hit him. Doroma Animu slumped as sparks of electricity stunned it's controls momentarily, it's wires going haywire from the powerful force of nature striking it.

Crossing the blades growing out of his claws, Natsu sent an 'x' shaped slice of air pressure towards the stunned machine's chest that cut deeply into it's armor. Dipping his head down towards the magma pooling around his talons, Natsu sucked in a lungful of the molten earth into his dragon lungs before raising his head up to the sky over Doroma Animu. Fireball after fireball fired off of Natsu's maw up high in the air that glowed like stars in the night sky from their dazzling beauty. Unable to move away from the deadly spell floating in sky above his machine, Faust was left to watch the stunning sight right before his eyes before hell rained down onto him.

Like meteorites falling from the sky, the balls of molten fire pelted Doroma Animu's body in violent explosions. The impenetrable armor of a dragon knight was cracked by the flames, leaving Faust's ears nearly deaf from the emergency sirens going off inside his control room. The falling rocks of magma continued to rain before finally ceasing as the last fireball hit until like a time bombs, the molten rocks blew up in a tower of flames that swallowed up Doroma Animu.

Watching the tower of flames consume Faust, Natsu roared to the heavens above, his mind still clouded by hate.

* * *

"What was that?" wiping away the sweat running down her forehead, Wendy put down her glowing green palms to stare questioningly at the shower of fire laying wast miles away from their resting spot. The little blue haired girl frowned sadly as a moment later a pillar of fire erupted high in the sky, blowing back a huge gust of wind that blew back her hair like a breeze. It couldn't be Natsu, could it?

Gajeel slammed his fist into the ground as he stared back at the orange-red glow far away from with anger, "That fucking idiot's going to kill himself!" he growled. Of all the stupid shit Natsu had ever done, this one took the fucking cake. Eating his own fire? That idiot had a head full of lead.

Wendy looked with worry at Gajeel as another explosion rocked the earth from the battle of two dragons, "He's going to be alright, isn't he?" small tears gathered in her eyes at the thought of her friend dying.

A deep sigh left Gajeel's mouth as he ruffled his hair in thought, "That's. . . a hard question to answer, kid." feeling a dull pain thump on his right arm, Gajeel looked down deeply at the scar on his forearm, past thoughts running through his head as the bellow of a possessed beast rang all over Edolas, "Eating your own magic is almost like mutilating yourself. The fire, wind, and steel we produce is packed with unnatural magic that could drive a Dragon Slayer insane if they ate it and it wasn't their element. You'd be driven insane by the last emotion you felt before eating your magic, possessed by the caged dragon inside of us all. And the only way you'd be able to snap out of it is if you're either stopped by the dragon that taught you the magic or if you take a heavy amount of damage in your dragon state. Neither option is pretty." he said with a frown.

"How. . . do you know that, Gajeel?" Wendy asked in confusion.

"That. . . doesn't matter right now." Gajeel angrily grumbled before turning his eyes to the scarlet haired girl Wendy was healing, "So how's Scarlet? Is she going to make it?"

Wendy tiredly sighed as she looked down at the unconscious knight. Erza was heavily bruised with multiple gashes on her skin, the armor that had once protected her shattered into pieces from re-equipping into her Adamantine Armor just before getting hit by Doroma Animu's devastating spell. Her body was covered in dirt and dried up blood from the fall down from the collapsing island, her eyes closed as her chest slowly rose up with each steady breath.

Erza was lucky that they had instantly recognized the smell of strawberry's from the scarlet as they watched the island up in the air being obliterated by the roar of the dragon knight. If they had been a few seconds late. . . .

Wendy shook the horrible thought back as she laid her healing palms on Erza's abdomen. It didn't matter now. What mattered was healing her friend to the best of her ability.

"Erza-san's going to be fine." Wendy said with a small smile, "I healed the worst of her injuries with my magic so she should be okay for now. It was a good thing Knightwalker-san's wounds weren't as serious. I might not of not of been able to heal some of the wounds on Erza-san if she was just as hurt as her."

"Why did we save this chick anyways?" looking back at the fairy hunter who was laid on the side of a tree with a frown, Gajeel was still confused on why they had saved the captain. Wasn't she their enemies?

"Because she was protecting Natsu." Wendy answered as she continued to use her magic to heal the Titania, "That and Erza-san looked really mad when it looked like Faust had killed her. It didn't really look like she was an enemy or she wouldn't of tried to talk her king out of hurting Natsu."

Both Dragon Slayer's had woken up just as Knightwalker appeared infront of Natsu to try to stop her king from turning all the Exceed into lacrima. They were up long enough to watch as Knightwalker poured her heart out to her king only to be tricked into thinking her words had reached him and being slapped away with the dull side of Doroma Animu's blade. It shocked Wendy how cruel Faust could be to his own captain while Gajeel felt sickened watching how Faust played with Knightwalker's emotions before tossing her away like a rag doll.

In the end, they had picked the deadly scarlet up from where she laid passed out from the pain as they escaped, leaving just in time to see Erza fly in to attack the dragon knight in her Heaven's Wheel armor.

A low grunt of pain escaped Knightwalker's lips as her eye's crinkled before slowly opening them up to the to the surprised Dragon Slayers who looked back at her with shock. Wendy quickly got up from where she was healing Erza to run up to the fairy hunter to try keep her from moving too much.

"Wh-Where am. . . I?" Knightwalker panted as she felt every inch of her body scream out in pain. Her eye's strained to stay open as she noticed a small familiar blue haired girl rest her hands on her shoulder's to keep her down, "It's you. The other Dragon Slayer." her eye's snapped wide open in alarm as she suddenly remembered what was going on. "Natsu!" she shouted in despair before gasping out in pain feeling her body's wounds hit her.

"You shouldn't strain yourself, Knightwalker-san." Wendy said gently as she pushed the scarlet haired women softly back against the tree bark, "Your still too injured to be moving. If you move to much you'll only aggravate your wounds."

"But. . . Natsu n-needs me." she weakly whispered.

Gajeel scoffed hearing Knightwalker's words, "In your fucked up state? Nah." he negatively shook his head, "You'll only get in the way of his rampage. You and Erza are really messed up and trying to stop Faust will only set your graves."

Too weak to talk back at the iron Dragon Slayer, Knightwalker grudgingly accepted her condition as she settled against the bark. But she couldn't hold back the small tears running down her cheeks as another explosion rang out. Her nakama was fighting a man in possession of the strongest armor in Edolas, one that nullify his magic.

The thought of Natsu's Dragon Slayer magic being different then normal magic didn't occur to Knightwalker as the battle between dragons raged on. The end was near and only one beast would remain standing.

Question was, will the last one standing be human, mechanical, or an uncontrollable monster.

* * *

Smoke clouded the battle field, crumbled earth fell from the earth from the last spell tearing apart the landscape into a large crater nearly a mile wide. Tiny flames danced around the now completely wiped out coliseum, the dark clouds hanging over the skies dissipating as rain began to fall upon Edolas. The weeping heavens washing away the chaos that lay waste upon the land.

Standing with rain washing away the blood coating over his scales was one salamander like mage, looking down into the clouds of smoke obscuring his view of what lay ruined in crater below him. Natsu's blood red tail lazily swung behind him as he gazed down with hateful glowing eyes at smoke, his sharp fangs gleaming in the night rain. His pointed ears suddenly twitched hearing the quite noise of what sounded like gears and rotors moving that caused a wide toothy grin to stretch across his face. Claws twitched in anticipation as the smoke hiding Doroma Animu faded away to reveal to it's wrecked state.

The shining black armor making up Doroma Animu's entire body was melted away by Natsu's last attack, the flames eating away at it's top layer of steel still clinging onto what was left of the dragon knight. Wires, gears, and other mechanics were left unprotected as the armor defending it's inner workings were shown like organs on the exposed exoskeleton of Doroma Animu that dully shined. It's eye's empty in black as if it was dead, the glowing red light in them gone.

A low growl filled the air from Natsu's throat as he waited for Doroma Animu to make a move, his haunting pupil-less red eyes piercing through the machine to stare at Faust.

"**. . . . stupid little shit."**

Eyes widened as multiple steel cables shot off from inside Doroma Animu's exoskeleton to wrap themselves tightly around Natsu like iron snakes squeezing the life out of him. Pained roars escaped Natsu's maw from the sudden black sparks of lighting crawling up the cables shocking him still. Red lights flickered to life inside Doroma Animu's eye's as it slowly got back up from it's slumped standing position to stand straight. Bony metal hands with blue and red wires running along the arm like veins pointed straight at the Dragon Slayer, it's mouth still grinning, looking more eerily haunting with it's face melted off to show it's steel skull.

"**You. . . . filthy piece of trash." **Faust cursed hoarsely. His body sweated with dozens of burns covering over most of his skin. Doroma Animu may of protected him from the outside attacks of the enemy but it didn't stop the hellish heat of the flames to burn through to his control room inside the thing. Instead, the metal acted like a conductor to the flames, slowly grilling him like he was some turkey in an oven.

An orb of sparking black electricity formed on the tip of Doroma Animu's bony finger that shot off towards Natsu, paralyzing him into a fit of anguish, **"Seems lightning is the only thing that can stop your rampage. It was a good thing I had payed the extra Jewels to install an elemental lacrima into Doroma Animu's core. It's all I got left now that my magic nullifying lacrima is useless." **he grinned nastily watching Natsu screech in pain, **"Stop your pathetic screaming. If your so eager to die then I'll happily help!"** magic energy was once again drained from Edolas as Doroma Animu's mouth barrel opened up to concentrate the raw magic spiraling around it into a glowing azure-blue sphere that floated infront of it's mouth, **"Let me end your suffering, you poor possessed animal. Lost in your hate, your powerless to stop your downfall."**

Natsu wildly thrashed against his binds fighting to escape the steel coils wrapped around him until the sharp metal fingers of the dragon knight stabbed into his gut. His arms fell limply at his side as blood flowed out his stomach, his red eyes fading away back into green with black slits that stared in confusion at the steel skeleton knight grinning down at him.

"**Pathetic." **Faust mocked before his dragon knight finished it's cannon charge, **"But I am a merciful king. So I'll let you met your precious little nakama in the afterlife! Now die! _Ryukishi no Hoko(Dragon Knight's Roar)_!"**

As the large azure-blue beam blinded everything in sight, Natsu could only think about his friends and how they doing. His mind was finally free of the hate and anger clouding his thoughts that had transformed him into an animal of destruction.

_'I-I. . . can't die.'_ he cried just before he was drowned by all of Edolas magic crashing into him, _'I won't let it end like this. I won't!' _

Half of the arena was reduced into dust and rubble as a giant crater a mile long blew up in a shower of falling earth. Smoke bellowed out from the crater as Faust laughed at finally getting rid of the annoying beast. He had lost a powerful energy source and his ultimate weapon was trashed but in the end he had won. Now he all he had left to deal with were those other Fairy Tail mages that were nothing but thorns in his side. Even if his machine was heavily damaged it was still capable of dealing with a few weak mages.

Faust prepared to leap out of the crater to finish off what he started with the Exceed before a giant dazzling fireball the size of Doroma Animu's head slammed into it's back. Falling onto it's knee's, Doroma Animu looked back towards the crater only to find a familiar head of pink hair standing back up with shaking legs. **"I-Impossible!" **Faust shouted in anger as he watched the dragon mage tiredly smirk back at with blood running down his face, **"Why won't you die! Your friends are as good as dead and it's only a matter of time before my men have captured all the Exceed! Just give up already!" **he roared before slamming his dragon knight's fist down at Natsu.

Expecting his Doroma Animu's fist to easily crush the mage into a bloody pulp, Faust was left surprised when it's fist was stopped by the boy's bare hands. How was it possible that he had any strength left? He should be dead on his feet!

Natsu grinned wolfishly at Faust inside his machine. Deep red burns covered most of his skin and cut's and gashes bleed from the damage he had taken in his dragon state. His waistcoat was nothing but ashes now and his trousers were shreds that still clung on to him. A deep gash was over his stomach that made him want to puke out blood but despite feeling worse then the time he ate Etherion he still chose to grin at his enemy tauntingly.

He didn't remember much but it didn't matter now. All that matter was stopping Faust from killing his friends.

"I'll never give up! Not as long as my friends are still with me!" Natsu shouted before the last of his magic began spin around him in a vortex of flames that engulfed the fist crushing him.

Pulling back the flaming hand, Faust finally had enough of the annoying mage as he prepared to fire off another _**Ryukishi no Hoko(Dragon Knight's Roar)**_ to end the battle, **"What the hell are you babbling about? You saw it with your own eye's! Two of your nakama are dead and the rest are only moments away from from joining them once I'm done with you! So stop all that annoying babbling of nakama and friendship! It's over!"**

Too focused on the spiky pink haired mage, Faust went completely unaware of the flying blue haired mage carried by a muscular black Exceed.

Five glowing green staffs fell down from the sky that stabbed around Doroma Animu in pentagram shaped formation. An emerald green magic circle suddenly appeared under the dragon knight's feet just before green chained shackles wrapped themselves around it's arm's, leg's, and neck from the magical staffs. **"What the hell's this?" **Faust shouted in outrage.

"_**Sanjumahojin: Fuji Kokyo Kane(Five Layered Magic Circle: Sealing Symphony Bells)**_!"

"**Gerard?" **watching as his son jumped down from Pantherlily's grip with confusion, Faust was left to watch as five golden bells appeared out of thin air over the staff's. A beautiful melody rang out of the bells as his Doroma Animu began to shut down, it's magic core being sealed off from Mystogun's spell.

"**What the hell are you doing?"**

"Something I should of done a long time ago!" he shouted back at his father as he landed on a pile of rubble near Natsu, "Stopping you! Now go, Natsu!" making a few hand signs with his hand's, Gerard blew a spinning vortex of wind magic in shape of a slithering dragon at Doroma Animu.

_'This can't be happening! I'm king of Edolas! A king doesn't lose to some snot nosed brats!' _

Natsu blew up in a blaze of fire before flying off his feet to met the Gerard's spell. The wind dragon flamed the flames of Natsu's spell causing it to morph into a dragon missile with two blazing wings of fire. The being of fire opened it's mouth to reveal Natsu at the head of the attack, his face made with rage as he shouted at Faust.

"You think you can just steal other people's magic just to satisfy your hunger for power? Don't be a fucking idiot! A life is a life! Not some endless power source for your own goals. Can't your hear their screams of pain and fear inside the lacrima? Because I can!" the faces of all his guild mates flitted inside his head. Their smiling, grinning, faces giving his battered, bleeding, body the strength to stay awake. "ARE YOU FUCKING DEAF? I'm taking my nakama home back to Magnolia and theirs nothing you can do about it! And if my fist doesn't fix that cracked head of yours," Faust's face paled white gazing at the dragon of flames open up it's maw like it was about to devour him. In the sea of flames shooting towards him, Faust felt as if he was staring into a new light. The drunken madness of power that had consumed him since the death of his wife slowly fading away, "THEN I'LL JUST HAVE TO BEAT YOU WITHIN AN INCH OF YOUR LIFE TILL YOU UNCLOG THOSE MAGIC FILLED EAR'S OF YOURS! _**Mesturyu no Ogi: Guren Karyu Kaenso(Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragon's Flame Spear)**_!"

Flames thinned into a deadly orange-red blade as the dragon made of blaze shaped into a winged spear of fire that pierced through Doroma Animu's chest. Slamming his hand over Faust's face, Natsu ran through the dragon knight out it's back, puncturing a large hole on it's backside. The machine blew up a minute later in a shower of embers as Natsu tumbled on the battle worn earth with Faust in his grip. Falling on his back, Natsu dropped the king a couple of spaces away from him. The last spell completely draining him of his magic to zero, not even a small drop to even summon a tiny flame on his finger.

"H-He. . . did it?" Pantherlily said stunned as he watched Doroma Animu explode. The pink haired boy actually defeated the Faust's dragon knight in it's black heaven form. To think one mage could actually reduce the strongest weapon in all of Edolas into a burning wreck. A small smile made it's way to the Exceed's face realizing the battle was finally over. All because of one Dragon Slayer.

Faust was deathly quite as he looked up at the sky still raining down on the land. He had been defeated. As ludicrous as it sounded, he had lost. Looking at the Dragon Slayer out the corner of his eye's, Faust was curious how one little mage still had the strength to fight back. He had pummeled, sliced, shocked, beaten, and shot the boy yet he still stood back up. What kind of magic did he possess to walk through his strongest spell like a juggernaut?

"How did you do that, boy?" Faust whispered to Natsu who turned his head to look at the king of Edolas curiously, "What kind of magic gave you the strength keep fighting back against my absolute rule?"

Hearing the Faust's question, Natsu chuckled softly as looked up the rain clouds with a smile, the dried blood covering his body washing away in the rain, "I guess you could call it magic, old man. It's actually something everyone can possess. You just have to open up your heart to it to gain it's power."

"Really?" Faust asked stunned that such a power could exist to everyone, "Is it endless?"

"Yeah. . . I guess it's as close to endless then anything in this world."

"What is it?"

Natsu grinned happily as his nakama came to mind. The fun moments, the sad moments, the scary moments, and the happy moments flowed inside his head. Turning to the side, Natsu grinned widely as he answered Faust's question, "It's called Nakama. Theirs actually a lot of different names for the magic, but gramp's said that it's different for everyone. The magic that keeps me going isn't actually the Fire Dragon Slaying magic I have, it's all my friends, my family, that keep standing."

_'Family?' _at the thought of the word a sad smile appeared on Faust's face. He had lost his whole family in his power drunk state, losing his wife had only made him lose it even more. The son he barely spoke to had ran away and nearly killed himself if it wasn't for Pantherlily. Gerard then disappeared for seven years only to return to try and stop him from sacrificing another worlds lives to rain eternal magic onto his world. All because he had lost himself to the power of a king.

Soft footsteps made their way to Faust making him weakly look up to stare at his one and only child, Gerard, with sad eye's. Then son he had abandoned came to finish the job. How ironic.

"Do you hate me, Gerard?" Faust asked softly.

Gerard looked down at his father with rain drops running down his cheek, his eye's unreadable as his fists shook by his sides, ". . . . . No. I don't hate you, father." he said honestly before helping his father up.

Faust was completely stunned by his son's words as he helped stand back and leaned him against his shoulder for support. "B-But why? After all that I have done, you don't feel an once of hatred for me?"

he stuttered in shock.

A small smiled was Gerard's answer, "Your my father. As insane as you may have been, I couldn't bring myself to hate you. All I could do was try to stop you and hope to snap you out of it. But it looks like Natsu beat me to it." he chuckled as he turned his eye's to Natsu who had passed out from the pain with a smile. "He has the strangest magic to bring people out of the darkness and into the light."

"Yes." Faust laughed surprising Gerard who hadn't heard his father laugh freely in years, "I guess he does. I just wish his magic didn't have to be so destructive and painful. I think I'm going to need to take a bath in burn ointment to get rid of the burns."

Gerard looked stunned at his father laughing before happy tears mixed in with rain ran down his cheeks. The father he briefly remembered as a young child was finally free from his own chains of madness and despair.

"Their he is! It's the king!" hearing rushing footsteps, Gerard and Pantherlily were suddenly surrounded by the king's men. Cursing himself for leaving his staffs near Doroma Animu which were probably nothing but smoking sticks from the explosion, Gerard tensed as the soldiers cornered them in with their weapons raised up to attack.

"It's alright men." gathering enough strength to stand up on his own, Faust calmed down his men to put down their weapons, "My son just came to help me up. Now put down your weapons," he sternly ordered, "The battles over."

The soldiers were confused by their king's orders but listened none the less.

"What about the Exceed?" one of the men asked in confusion, "We already turned all of the into lacrima except for a small few. What do we do about them and the Earthland mages?"

Faust deeply frowned at the thought of the Exceed before sighing and answering the soldier, "For now, gather all the Exceed lacrima up. My son, Gerard will now what to do." Gerard smiled hearing his father's words knowing exactly what to don to turn them all back to normal. He just hoped he could get his father to agree to the plan in mind, "As for the Fairy Tail mages, both Earthland and Edolas, leave them be. We are no longer at war with them. Heal any mages that are need of medical care and call off the attacks. It's time we make up for their suffering."

"Really, your majesty? What about the plan for infinite magic?"

"We'll find a way to keep our world alive. But not this way." he shook his head negatively, "Sacrificing a life for power is not the way to go."

A collective sigh of relief went around the soldiers at the king's words. As much as they vowed to follow their king's orders, many of them couldn't stand the guilt and sin of wasting lives for magic.

As some of the soldiers ran off the call of the attack's against the mages, Gerard moved to walk over to Natsu who was carried over Pantherlily's shoulder's with a few bandages covering his wounds.

"How is he?" Gerard asked with concern.

Pantherlily grinned as he patted the Dragon Slayer's back getting a pained groan out of Natsu, "He'll be fine with some healing magic. I heard the little Dragon Slayer was a healer so I think it would be a good idea to find her."

"Shut the hell up, Happy." Natsu groaned.

"My name's Pantherlily! Do I look like a small blue cat to you?"

Turning his head to get a closer at the Exceed, Natsu grinned happily as he waved at Pantherlily, "Hey, Lucy! When the hell did you get here?"

Gerard chuckled as he watched the strong Exceed shake Natsu back into unconscious. With the battle finally over with, Gerard could finally send Natsu and everyone else back to Earthland. He only frowned as his previous attempt to send them back through the Anima had to be held back as he got too worried of the battle over the horizon. Watching as towering flames and explosions blew up in the old coliseum from as far away as the Anima control room made Gerard a little worried about leaving the Dragon Slayer's to fight Doroma Animu.

"So, now what?" Gerard curiously asked as his father walked up next to him looking even older then he actually was, "Theirs going to be some questions from the citizen's of Edolas. No doubt it'll be about all the fighting going on the outside of the city and the giant lacrima smashing into Extalia only to disappear. How are you going to deal with that?"

Faust shook his head slightly as sighed, "Don't worry. You'd be surprised how much they don't question my words. The real problem is how are we going to return all the Exceed back to normal." he frowned, "I don't have any machines capable of reversing the effects and we only have a couple of day's fix thing's before it's too late."

As they slowly made their way back to the palace, Gerard couldn't fight back the happy smile stretching across his face. It really was over. Just like that. All those year's of fighting back against his father were done with. All they had to do now was look forward to a better tomorrow.

"You forget about the Anima. It may be able to turn thing's into lacrima but it also has the capabilities to turn them back and send it back to were it came from. We'll just have to wait for Earthland Fairy Tail to recover before sending them back and reversing the effects on the Exceed."

* * *

(_Two day's later. Medical Ward of King's Palace._)

Rays of blinding light were the first thing Natsu saw as he began to awake from his from his sleep. Groaning as the light from the window nearby blinded his eye, Natsu tiredly grumbled as he glared at the sun peeking out the window with thin eye's. "Stupid sun, one of these day's I'm going eat you and then we'll see who's laughing."

"Natsu!"

Natsu was barely given a few seconds to try and understand where the hell he was before two twin shout's of his name rang in his ear and was smothered by two heavenly mounds of both scarlets sitting beside him. He groaned in pain as he felt his injuries sting in painful agony as the two scarlets glared at each other from their respective hug of the fire mage.

"Knightwalker." Erza smiled sweetly with a dark aura around her as she tightened the hug around Natsu, "Why are you hugging Natsu? You know he's badly injured, so why are you touching him?"

"Same could be said to you, Scarlet."Knightwalker smiled back while hugging Natsu's head closer to her chest, "Besides, Natsu is my nakama. I could do whatever the hell I want with him." she smirked seductively.

Erza felt a twitch in her eye as her imagination ran wild with raunchy thoughts about the Dragon Slayer, her face matching her hair as she growled at her counterpart, "Don't even think about it Knightwalker! Besides, he's my nakama too. You don't see me trying to seduce him."

"Then why are you hugging him close to your chest?"

"Why are _you_ hugging him close to _your_ chest?"

"Because I like it."

"Perverted succubus!"

"Closet Pervert!"

"Who told you?"

"Lucky guess."

The two Erza's butted heads angrily fighting over the Dragon Slayer currently being suffocated by the two's large breast smothering him. Was this it? Was he to die by suffocation of large breast's? What a cruel fate.

Opening the doors to the room of Natsu's medical room, the Fairy Tail mages and Gerard were treated to the shocking sight of two deadly redheads hugging the pink haired mage with their breasts. Both Erza's were glaring straight at each other unaware of the fact Natsu's face was turning pale blue due to the lack of air in-between their chests. Their jaws hit the floor at the strange sight before Happy decided to speak up.

"I think they liiiiiiiiike him!" Happy giggled as he flew over the heads of the two deadly redheads.

Releasing Natsu from her hug, Erza turned her eye's to look at the shocked new occupants of the room with puzzlement, "What's wrong with you guy's? You look like ghost's."

Shaking her head back, Lucy smiled at Erza as she walked over to Natsu's bed, "It's nothing. I guess it's still shocking to see two Erzas instead of one. Especially when their hugging Natsu." she laughed.

"So, how is Flame Breath?" Gray asked, sweat dropping as he watched his friend buried deeper into Knightwalker's chest, "He's alright, right?"

Erza hummed in thought as she looked over the Dragon Slayer's condition while still smothered in Knightwalker's grip. His whole body was mummified being wrapped up in bandages all around his wounds. Two bandaged cast's engulfed both his arm's and half of his face was bandaged. Burn ointment was also applied under his wraps to treat the horrible scorches covering fifty-five percent of his body.

It still surprised Erza that Natsu could actually still get burned. His body was suppose to durable against fire but it still looked like he still get burned. Thankfully, he would heal from his injuries with some rest.

"I think. . . I'm dying."

Well he would be alright so long as Knightwalker didn't suffocate him.

Gasping for air as Erza pulled back Knightwalker from smothering him with her bountiful chest, Natsu finally got a chance to look around the white room he was sleeping in. The room, like all hospital rooms, was colored white with a few chairs laid out for visitors and weird monitors for checking his heart beat. Seeing the two scarlets he had thought died during his fight with Doroma Animu a wide grin made it's way to Natsu's face, "Erza. . . . and Erza!" he happily grinned before frowning confusingly as he looked between the two redheads, "Wait. . . . which one is which?"

"You can't tell?" Knightwalker questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Well you two are alike." Lucy laughed nervously as both Erzas pouted angrily, "And you both have your hair down. Not to mention your both not wearing any armor since your covered in bandages like the rest of us."

It was true. Both Erzas were wearing the regular frilly lined blouse with navy blue skirts. Knightwalker had borrowed a set of clothes from her Earthland counterpart after she had been told it would be a better idea to wear some regular clothing so that the armor didn't aggravate her bruises. Knightwalker's hair was also loose, flowing beautifully over her shoulder's like the knight. If you didn't know any better, you would of thought they were twins! Because it really did look that way to Natsu.

Moving his head back and forth between the redheads, Natsu felt his head spin, hurting his sore head, "All this parallel dimension crap is really starting to hurt my brain!" Natsu whined while pulling his hair in frustration.

Gray smirked, "I didn't know that empty space you call a head has a brain."

"Shut it Popsicle stick!"

"What was that Matchstick? I don't understand your useless babbling!"

"You want to take this outside Snowflake?"

"Bring it Flame shit!"

"Natsu! Gray!" slamming the two rival's head's together Erza growled menacingly at the cowering fire and ice mages while patting a giant mallet in her palm threateningly, "Can't you two learn to get along? Or do I have to teach you the proper way to behave?" she whispered menacingly.

"No sir!" Gray sweated in fear.

"Aye sir!" Natsu saluted.

Lucy sighed, "And we see the return of Happy two."

"Oh let them fight Scarlet." Knightwalker chided, "A good rivalry never hurt anyone. It's good that they consider each other worthy opponents."

"Your not helping Knightwalker." Erza growled as she sent a pointed look her way, "Friends shouldn't fight. Sparring is fine, but fighting every time they lock eyes isn't alright. It's the principal god dammit!"

Knightwalker closed her eye's as she waved away the knight's glare lazily, "Don't be a stick in the mud Scarlet. You'd think my Earthland self would be a little more loose but she's actually a strict old women." she grinned mockingly.

A second later Knightwalker found herself on the other end of a sharp sword curtsey one ticked off scarlet haired fairy.

"Violent, aren't we?" Knightwalker laughed.

"Can I please cut her into pieces?" Erza whined, "Some of the things she says should never leave my mouth!"

"You mean like how I hate strawberry shortcake?"

"Shut up!"

'This is really getting out of hand.' Lucy thought in slight worry as both Erzas looked like they were ready go another round. All because of Natsu. The pink haired mage was really drawing a lot of attention these days. She never thought she'd see the day that two beautiful women would fight each other over the idiot. She felt like she was in the middle of some love comedy!

Watching as the room was ready to break into an all out brawl between Earthland and Edolas Erza and Gray and Natsu, Gerard chose the time to intervene before things got out of hand. He didn't feel like having to call in some workers to fix the mess that would most likely tear the small space apart. He wasn't made out of Jewels.

Unclasping one of the new staffs clasped behind his back, Gerard lightly tapped the bottom end bringing a silence to the room from the wave of gust bursting out of the staff. The small gust wind magic got the mages attention and squeak from Lucy who's skirt was lifted from the small ripple of wind. Gerard rose an eyebrow getting quick peek of colorful frilly panties that got a slight blush out of the world traveler.

"I would of never expected you for skimpy underwear Lucy."

"Don't look goddammit!" she shook her fist angrily.

Finally getting everyone's attention, Gerard coughed into his fist before speaking, "Now that everyone's fine and awake, I'd like to get thing's settled before sending you all back to Earthland. We're running out of time before the lacrima housing all the Exceed will no longer revert back to their original form."

Natsu frowned confusingly at the news not understanding what was going. He had been knocked for two day's straight so Natsu was a little behind on what was going on. "What the hell are you talking about?" he scratched his head, "Why aren't we back in Magnolia?"

"Well, I was actually planning on sending you all back during the battle, but I was interrupted by the loud violent explosions on the horizon." he deadpanned as looked dully at Natsu who laughed enterprisingly "And the consequences of the effect of sending you all back would of caused a panicked up roar."

"Why?"

"Because," Lucy interrupted since they had been all briefed on the effects of sending the magic back, "Gerard was actually planning on sending all of Edolas magic into Edolas to stop all the fighting over magic. Sending all the Exceed into Earthland would of pulled the last of the magic in Edolas into the Anima, causing a large panic in the kingdom that would cause riots that Faust's army wouldn't be able to contain after the events following the Dragon Chain Cannon." she sighed sitting on one of the chairs in the room as she looked out the window, "Luckily, Faust was able to calm down the citizens from hearing all the fighting going on the outside of the kingdom. Said they were all fighting an enemy that they defeated with the help of Edolas Fairy Tail. Now everything's finally calmed down. It's surprising just how much trust they have in their king." she shivered as she thought back to what happened only three day's ago, "Having that kind of power is dangerous. Especially with how Faust was power mad."

Taking a moment to drink all the information in, Natsu was left shocked as his mouth dropped.

"Two day's? I've been asleep for two day's?" he shouted in surprise.

"Why are you so shocked?" Gray asked before his shirt and pants flew ontop of Lucy's head, "You were knocked out for three day's when you ate Etherion. Only you didn't wake up this time when I insulted you in your sleep."

"Huh. I thought I heard an annoying voice in my dreams. No matter how many times I beat up dream Gray, he wouldn't shut up. Even when I threw him in a pit of lava he kept shouting insults."

"Why didn't you do it before while Natsu was still unconscious?" Erza frowned ignoring the small fight between Natsu and Gray. "Why did you have to wait till Natsu woke up?"

"I actually would of done it sooner after we treated Natsu, but me, Pantherlily, and father were busy trying to come up with an idea on how we could work the magic in our world leaving without any consequences." Gerard grimaced scratching the back of his head in thought, "We can't really come up with anything. We had this one idea were one of us would play the hero and the other the villain who caused the magic leaving Edolas while making the other the savior who fought valiantly to stop them, but we couldn't place the burden on any of our shoulder's." he said sadly.

Unnoticed by the others a small sparkly lite up in Natsu's eyes before the door to his room was opened.

Walking in with a couple of bandages over his face was Faust. Unlike the last time Natsu had seen him, Faust's eyes weren't clouded in darkness. His eyes crinkled as he smiled, his stern features leaving him as both Gajeel and Wendy walked next to him.

"Wendy, Gajeel, where did you two run off to." Erza asked in confusion.

Running up to Natsu's bed, Wendy smiled apologetically, "Sorry Erza-san, Faust said he had something to ask us."

"Really? What was it?"

"It was nothing." Gajeel yawned as he moved towards Natsu, "I'm just surprised that this idiot is still alive." he grinned widely, "Gihihih. Dumb-ass he may be, but you can't keep this guy down."

"Uhhhhhh. . ." Natsu scrunched his eyes confusingly with a thin glare, "I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult."

"Insult would be better."

"Oh, okay." Natsu nodded, ". . . .Fuck you too Gajeel."

"Shut the hell up Natsu." Gajeel said dully before smacking his fist ontop of Natsu's head, "When we get back to Magnolia, you and me are going to have a long talk about what you did during the fight with Doroma Animu." seeing the fire mage open up his mouth to argue, Gajeel cut him off with a serious glare that meant business, "Don't think you can get out of this. This is a serious matter and I'll have the master personally tie you down after telling him the grave matter of what you did. Trust me, he'll agree with me when you learn why you should of never done that and why you look different."

About to ask what the hell Gajeel was talking about, Natsu suddenly stopped as he heard the last part of the sentence, "Wait. . . what?" he frowned, "I don't look any different." he crossed his arms poutedly.

"Have you taken a look in a mirror Natsu-san?" grabbing a small mirror by the table next to Natsu's bed, Wendy brought it up to his face with a small giggle, "You really look an older you now."

Looking into the mirror, Natsu swallowed a gasp noticing how right they were. His rosy pink hair grew a few inches now reaching his neck with two fang like bangs stretching down the side of his face like sideburns. The black eye's Natsu had grown up with were now green, almost like dragon eyes without the slit. His face also looked a bit more mature, some of the baby fat that was still on his cheeks now gone. His spiky hair also looked smoothed down a bit, leaving him with an almost shaggy spike hair.

. . . .Holy shit! What the hell happened to him?

Watching as Natsu had a mini panic attack from his new look, Faust decided now was the time he began to set the last piece to his plan into place.

"If you all don't mind." Faust politely asked to everyone in the room getting their attention, "Would you all please leave me alone with Natsu, there is something important I need to ask him."

Lucy was about ask what he needed to ask Natsu before Gajeel interrupted her by grabbing her arm.

"This is important." the iron Dragon Slayer said seriously, "I'll explain it to you all outside the palace. But right now, the old man needs to ask Natsu for his help."

Everyone inside the room looked confused except for Gajeel and Wendy as they followed the Dragon Slayers out the room slowly. Taking one last look at Natsu, Knightwalker smiled sadly. Already knowing what her king was up to from his debriefing of his plan to the army.

The doors to the room closed and Faust sighed as a sad look replaced his smiling his face. Natsu looked confused at the king's sudden change in attitude. He may of not know that guy besides how power mad he had been but Natsu could tell that something big was eating away at him.

Walking next to Natsu's bed side, Faust sat down on one of the chair next to him. Faust's looked at Natsu with sad stern eye's before speaking, "First of all, I'd like to apologize on behalf of all of Edolas for the sorrow and pain we had caused you during my reign as king. I can't tell you how much I'm sorry for hurting your friends. I was overcome with power and it had clouded my judgment for years. After my precious wife, Eloise, had passed away from sickness while Gerard was only three, I was overcome with grief and sorrow. I remember how my wife loved magic and wished that our world had an endless amount to show to our son so he would also come to love the the magical feelings she felt while playing with it." small tears gathered in Faust's eye's that he fought to keep in remembering his wife's smiling face when they use to play with magic when they were young. The twinkly in her green eyes at finding out that he had started to develop a machine that would make her dream come true. "Magic was what brought us together long ago. And it was magic that had driven me mad. Before my Anima was finished, Eloise passed away. I still tried to bring her dream to life for our son despite her saying that she didn't need infinite magic anymore, that she had all she ever wanted with our family. But I continued my research on the parallel words and eventually lost myself to my work. I developed a thirst for power the first time my test's succeeded and became the man you defeated a few day's ago."

Moving up of his seat, Faust surprised Natsu when he suddenly bowed with his hand over his chest. "Thank you, Natsu Dragneel, for leading me back into the light. I can't thank you enough." he cried with a few tears running down his face.

His mind was finally free from the dark. Freed just in time to not lose his son to his madness. If Eloise could see him now she would disappointed in him for losing himself to his own greed. Oddly enough though, Faust couldn't fight the feeling of his beautiful wife, smiling down upon him with her long blue hair cascading down her shoulder's and her soft sea foam green eyes softly gazing upon him and his son. She was always too kind for own good.

A sudden weak knock on his head made Faust to look up at the grinning face of the boy who had freed him of his madness.

"Why the hell are you bowing old man?" Natsu laughed, "You might break a bone bowing like that. Besides, I snapped you out of it to stop all the Exceed from turning into lacrima." he smirked, "I ain't no saint."

Staring at the humble boy, Faust couldn't help but still be surprised by the Natsu's bright attitude. Like the flames he summoned he could be gentle and warm before flaring into an inferno straight out of hell that brought destruction to anything in it's way. He was a flame of hope.

"My apologies then." the king chuckled wiping away the tears in his eyes before getting back to what he wanted to ask, "But, there is something I wished to ask you. I know I don't deserve asking you a for a favor, but I feel that only you and your other Dragon Slayer friends can help me."

The king's eye's were serious making Natsu a little curious on what he wanted to ask him.

"Shot old man." Natsu carelessly shrugged. He didn't really have a reason to hate the guy anymore. Seeing both Erzas alive and well had faded away the last drops of hate towards Faust. Accepting a small favor wasn't that much of a big deal.

Sitting straighter in his chair Faust looked at Natsu with hard eye's as he asked the strangest request the Dragon Slayer had ever heard.

"Please, attack the city with your Dragon Slayer friends. Wreck as much havoc as possible."

". . . . . . What?"

Seeing the stunned confused look on Natsu's face, Faust chuckled as he tried to explain, "I know it sounds weird, but it's very important that you help. You see," he sighed, "my hope is to send you and your friends back through the Anima today. To more accurate, in the next hour or so. But if I do that, the magic in Edolas will be drawn into the vortex and we have will have fear and panic erupting out of the city. The people of Edolas need to learn to live without magic, we have become too dependent on it. It has lead to some horrible alternatives to keep our magic alive as you saw before. If we can just make up situation in which people can find hope even without magic, then everything would be fine."

"What does that have to do with me, Gajeel, and Wendy?" Natsu said confusingly.

"Have you ever read the stories where even when all seems lost, the hero defeats the villain, bringing in a new age to the kingdom." Faust smirked getting a nod from the Dragon Slayer, "That's the situation I'm trying to create. All my soldiers know the plan so they'll pretend to be defeated by the 'villains' which consist of you three dragon mages who will wreck havoc as the magic of Edolas gets 'stolen' by you. The hero will then rise and fight back the leader of the villains without the help of magic against you who can use magic. Despite how hopeless the situation is, the hero will win with only his bare hands, giving hope to the people of Edolas who think their useless without the help of magic, bringing in a new age where we don't rely on magic energy or the Exceed." he explained before chuckling, "The other two, Wendy and Gajeel was it, already agreed to the plan whole heartidly. More so the black maned one who jumped on the thought of freely breaking stuff."

"That's. . . . some awesome plan you got their old man." Natsu grinned wolfishly before a thought hit him, "I'm all for the idea, but who's the hero?" he frowned crossing bandaged arms across his chest in thought.

Faust grinned, "Who do you think came up with the idea? Remember, the hero always becomes the king of the new age. Best of all, he doesn't even know about the plan. Gerard's never been a good actor in front of a large audience."

* * *

Walking through the streets of the kingdom, Gerard couldn't shake off the feeling like something big was about to happen. Pantherlily was acting really suspicious when he had showed up just when Gajeel was about to tell them what his father was asking Natsu and taken him away. When Gerard had asked the tall Exceed why he had needed him he was really surprised when Pantherlily told him that some rogue soldier were sneaking around the center of the town with plans to blow up the center with fire lacrima bombs. But it sounded strange that the loyal soldiers of his father would just go rogue and start hurting people like that. Gerard listened none the less and went off the search for the soldiers anyway.

'_Knightwalker also seemed rather somber. I would of thought having finally found people she could call nakama would make her a bit more joyful.'_ he thought before turning a corner near a shop. She acted different these last few day's. Even though he knew next to nothing about the women besides the fact that she was the second captain of the war division, Gerard could tell she was a cold person. But ever since meeting Natsu, she had become less cruel and cold hearted. Most of the time he could find the fairy hunter smiling as she sat next to Natsu's bed waiting for him to wake up.

It wasn't until yesterday that Knightwalker had become distant and despondent. Like she had just lost her new nakama.

Nothing was making any sense but Gerard figured he'd have to ignore all that so that he could focus on sending his friends back to Magnolia. He would have to worry about everything else for another time.

A sudden loud explosion caused Gerard to flip back as the one of the shops in the shopping center was blown up by an odd razor stream tornado tearing it apart while also releasing shrapnel. Loud shouts of panic as the center was being destroyed by streams of fire, steel, and wind filled the air making Gerard search for the culprits with his staffs ready. Were the rogues already attacking? How? He didn't know of any magic weapons capable of this sort of destruction.

A stream of familiar orange-red fire roaring towards him made Gerard look up on one of the tall buildings only feel his jaw drop at what he saw.

Wearing some dark cloak hiding over his bandages with demonic looking yellow horns on his head was Natsu. Madly cackling as he breathed fired down on a few abandoned shops with his father knocked out and tied to pole.

"Cower and tremble pathetic humans!" Natsu laughed evilly as he reduced a near by house into flames with his breath, "I am the great demon lord Dragneel! And I've come for all your magic!"

"Natsu. . . ?" Gerard whispered in shock before a few soldiers ran up to try and stop Natsu.

"Like we'll let you do that!" they bravely shouted before shooting fireballs out of their magic weapons.

The towns people watched in awe as the flames flew to the smirking villain before gasping in fear as the flames were eaten by the great demon lord. They cowered in fear as Dragneel smirked cruelly at the soldiers. Swiping his hands over their protectors they watched in horror as flames sent them flying away without the need of a magical weapon.

Dragneel licked his lips hungrily, "That's some good magic. I think I'll take it all!" he laughed snapping his fingers.

Fear and terror settled into their hearts as they watched all the magic powering all their weapons and machines were began to flow out into the sky into some strange cloud like vortex in the sky. The few soldiers surrounding the great demon lord were soon blown away another wave of fire.

"What's going on?"

"The magic is going away!"

"It's the end of the world!"

Islands floating in the sky began to crumble and fall to the earth behind Natsu who smirked darkly down at the scared towns people, "Your king may of stopped my plans a few day's ago but now look at him!" he cackled pointing sleeping Faust, "Now no one can stop my plans for endless magic! Come my servants!" he snapped as as small blue haired girl and a tall menacing man with a black mage appeared right next to him, "Wreck havoc on these fools~!" he sang twistedly.

Watching as the tall maned one morphed his left hand into a giant spear and shot off dozens of dozens of smaller spear head like gunfire onto their town the people felt despair settle in as their world fell apart.

"M-Monsters!"

"Mommy I'm scared!"

"Is this the end?"

"Curse you Great Demon Lord Dragneel!"

Picking up some of the weapons the downed soldiers dropped a group of towns people bravely glared up at the great demon lord with their weapons of common swords an random sharp objects, "Give us back our magic!"

Natsu grinned evilly with lidded eye's, "Nah." he said dully before spewing fire out of his mouth into the air, "All who oppose the Great Demon Lord Dragneel will be turned to ash!" he roared scaring the people into dropping their weapons.

Gerard continued to watch friends destroy nearly the whole market place with Dragon Slayer magic with deadpanned eye's. This. . . . looked like the plan he had come up with to send them all back. If Gerard didn't know any better, his father was most likely behind all of this.

* * *

"Don't you think their going a little too over board with destroying the town?" Lucy laughed nervously as she, Erza, Gray, Happy, Charlie, and Knightwalker watched the town be rampaged by three Dragon Slayers.

After Gajeel had explained the plan to act like villains to help out Edolas become dependent without magic by being defeated by a hero, Knightwalker had escorted them to a safe spot to wait before returning back to Earthland. As stupid as the plan sounded Lucy was starting to see just how good idea it was. With the hero defeating the evil villain who could control magic freely without using any magic at all it would bring hope to Edolas. Like a fairy tale her mother use to read her. The prince would save the day and bring in a new age of prosperity and dependence onto the land.

Pillars of fire and wind tore up another neighborhood causing Lucy to sweat nervously. Looked like Natsu was really loving his role as the bad guy.

Erza frowned deeply as she watched her Edolas self tightly grip the scarf that belonged to Natsu around her neck sadly with a few tears she tried desperately to hide. Knightwalker had grown real fond of Natsu that it had slightly annoyed the scarlet haired knight. Whether she knew it or not the fairy hunter acted like she had a crush on Natsu as she had practically stayed in his room of the medical ward for the last two days. Erza knew that Knightwalker didn't know much about being friends but she felt as if the second captain was showing feelings that were more then nakama like.

It's what had caused the slight rivalry between them over Natsu these last few days. And she was starting to like fighting with her counterpart like a worthy rival. Almost like a twin sister who was in love with the same man as her.

Of course she didn't love Natsu! She liked the guy and she wouldn't really mind if he ever saw in a different light then just a friend but she wasn't head over heels for him!

I mean sure, her heart did beat really fast at just the thought of them holding hands and there were those few times she had dreamed of him kissing her after the tower of heaven but. . . .

She blushed.

Erza Scarlet. A tsundere in the making.

Snapping out of her thoughts of the Dragon Slayer, Erza turned her attention back to Knightwalker. She guessed she must have been sad at them leaving. The only nakama she had ever had was only moments away from leaving this world to leave her all alone.

"Scarlet." eye's snapping wide open as her counterpart looked back at her with hard eye's glazing with unshed tears Erza looked over Knightwalker who clenched Natsu's scarf tightly in her land, "Promise you'll watch over that idiot for me." she smiled, "Natsu may be a sweet guy but he's a total baka. I don't want anything to happen to my nakama. It would break my heart if anything like what happened with Faust happened again."

Erza smiled sadly as she walked over to her Edolas self patting her comfortingly on her shoulder, "Don't worry. I'm always watching over him. Besides," she grinned, "Even though we may be worlds apart, Natsu will never forget about you. You'll always be his nakama."

Knightwalker could only smile in sadness as they all watched the magic and the lacrima housing the Exceed fly into the Anima. The whole world changing right before their eyes.

* * *

"Natsu!" Gerard shouted in anger as moved back from a flaming fist to the face. Another fist aimed for his sternum shot at him before moved his hand over the flaming appendage to pass him by. Grabbing one of his staffs Gerard pointed the magical weapon at Natsu with intent to stop him, "Sleep!"

Purple magic flared around the wooden staff only to be sucked up into the Anima, leaving Gerard stunned and open for a flaming uppercut to the chin.

Weakly picking himself up, Gerard felt foolish trying to use magic while the Anima was sucking it all away.

"What's wrong Prince?" Dragneel taunted childishly, "You scared without your magic power?"

Seeing him frown, Dragneel laughed cruelly, "You are, aren't you? Magic is power after all!"

"Stop it!" charging ahead, Gerard slammed a fist deep into Natsu's gut were he knew the mage was still badly injured.

Blood flew out of the Demon Lords mouth getting a loud cheer out of the people of Edolas who watched on as the prince fought valiantly to try and stop him from taking all their magic. Another cheer filled the air seeing the prince kick his leg up at the villain's chin before jumping up and slamming his leg at his head.

Flipping back in the air, the Demon Lord engulfed his fists with flames as he caught himself. Sending a large torrent of flames to the prince the towns people gasped in fear.

"Your highness, watch out!"

"Don't let that bastard take out magic!"

"Please, save us!"

Gerard pulled his dark blue coat over himself to block the deadly flames, thanking himself that he had bought a magic nullifying cloak back at Earthland as he ran through the flames.

Growling angrily at his flames being waved away, Dragneel smirked evilly before slamming a fist on the walkway he was standing on. The walkway blew up with flames causing Gerard to jump off and land a few feet across from Natsu who grinned with flames escaping his mouth.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" Gerard whispered lowly enough so that only Natsu could hear him, "Do you think anyone of them will believe this stupid farce?"

Instead of answering him, Natsu shot off with jet's of fire on his feet towards Gerard. Dodging the axle kick of the dragon mage, the prince of Edolas jumped up with a double kick to the chest that knocked him on his feet. Gritting his teeth angrily, Gerard punched Natsu in the face only to have him catch said fist with his palm. "Is that all you got?" he snarled before he was sent skidding on his back from a punch to the left side of his face.

Quickly jumping back up on his feet, Natsu flared his arms with more flames as he went to send a blurry barrage of punches at Gerard. The two Fairy Tail mages continued to trade blow back and forth at each other awing the crowd of people cheering for their king. Sliding his legs over to try and trip Natsu, Gerard frowned as Natsu jumped up over the move to flip kick his head. His head moved back from the blow with grunt in effort at the speed of the kick. Grabbing Natsu's leg while he was still air borne, Gerard slammed the Dragon Slayer down on the ground with a crack that got Natsu to release a shout of pain as blood seeped out the side of his face.

"He's doing it!"

"Beat him down prince!"

"You can do it! We believe in you!"

They actually believed what was going on? Gerard was so surprised by their cheers that he nearly got hit by a sucker punch towards his stomach which he quickly blocked.

"Why the hell won't you stay down?" Gerard angrily shouted, "This is all fake anyway." he harshly whispered.

"Not a chance!" surprising him with a hard fist in the gut, Natsu smiled cheerfully as he whispered, "This is my good-bye ceremony. Anyone leaving Fairy Tail has to be taught the three laws, remember?" he grinned.

Slamming the back side of his fist into the side of Gerards face, Natsu began counting off the rules, "First," he said as he began to rapidly punch him which he easily dodged, "Never, for the rest of your life, reveal any information that could prove a handicap to Fairy Tail! Second. . ." what was the second one again?

Catching Natsu off guard, Gerard punched Natsu in the cheek that might of broke a tooth, "You must never contact past clients for personal gain." he smiled, "Am I right?"

"Yup!" Natsu happily grinned, "Third, even though our paths may have diverge, you must continue to live out your life with all your might!" pulling back his fist for one last hit, Natsu smiled, "You must never consider your life to be of little value. And you must never.-"

"Forget about your friends who loved. . . ." Gerard finished before they both ran at each other with their fist's drawn back.

Both fist's collided as they both began to fall back. Natsu closed his eyes with a big grin as he fell back with Gerard only catching himself before he met the ground.

The people of Edolas were deathly quite for a second before throwing up their arms in joy. The prince had finally beaten the villain.

A glow of magic began to envelope Natsu as he looked up Gerard with serious eye's that surprised the prince, "You better become a great king, Mystogun. I hate to have to come back here to kick your ass like I did to your dad to snap you out of it."

"Don't worry." he chuckled smiling with tears, "I'll be a great king. Besides, I'll have my father right by my side to teach me the right way's to be a good ruler."

"Good to know. Say good-bye to the old man for me Mystogun. He's probably still pretending to be knocked out and all that crap."

Slowly, all the magic, including the Fairy Tail mages and the Exceed, began to float up into the Anima. Pretending to suffer as they were pulled into the vortex, the Dragon Slayers gave one last smile to their dear friend before floating up high into the sky.

* * *

Watching as their bodies glowed with magic, Lucy began to freak out as she was lifted off the ground up into the air with her friends.

"What the hell is happening?" she screamed while keeping her hand over her short skirt.

"What does it look like?" Gray smirked, "We're going back home."

"I'm actually surprised." Happy frowned deeply.

Lucy looked at the small blue cat with worry, "What? Why are you so surprised?"

Looking at the blonde seriously, Happy said, "I didn't think Lucy's heavy body would be able to float into the Anima. She weighs more then Extalia."

"That doesn't even make sense, you stupid cat!"

"I guess this is good-bye, Knightwalker." Erza smiled sadly before having her eyes nearly jump out of their sockets, "W-What the hell?"

Hearing the scarlet haired knight yell in shock, Gray and Lucy turned to look back at Erza only to have their jaws drop in shock at seeing Knightwalker bathed by the same light carrying her up to the Anima with them.

Knightwalker looked just as surprised as the mages as she floated next to Erza closer to the Anima, her eye's wide in shock as she clung onto the scarf wrapped around her that glowed a deep red.

_'Natsu's scarf?_' Erza thought in confusion as she eyed the glowing cloth,_ 'Is the scarf itself the reason why Knightwalker is being sucked into the Anima with us?'_

_'I guess the I'm not done with Natsu.'_ Knightwalker happily smiled as she turned to see the Dragon Slayer floating a few away with a grin at seeing her, _'Somehow, I feel like he planned to take me back with him. Hmph. What a fool.'_

"Alright!" Natsu shouted loudly as he saw all his friends floating into the Anima, "Come on everyone. It's time we go back home. To Fairy Tail!"

"LET'S GO HOME!" they all shouted happily before disappearing in a blinding white light that cleared the clouds over Edolas.

Releasing his father from being tied to a post, Gerard basked in the shining sun of a new day in Edolas. Taking one last look in the sky, Gerard wished his friends to return safely to Magnolia in one piece.

"I think it's time for the king to address his people." Faust chuckled pulling his son towards the thousand of happily cheering people of Edolas.

Gerard smiled happily at his father before turning to address his people.

"I HAVE DEFEATED THE DEMON LORD DRAGNEEL!" he roared over the thousands of cheering towns people, "EVEN THOUGH WE LACK MAGIC POWER, WE HUMANS CAN CONTINUE TO LIVE ON! TOGETHER!"

A new day had set and the dark clouds once hanging over Edolas, a world with dying magic, faded away with the shining bright flame hanging in the sky.

And as another tale ended, a new one would begin.

* * *

**Like I said, I'm fucking tired. Writing ten thousand plus chapters takes a lot out of a guy. My hands are sore and my eyes are burning like hell.**

**But I can't just leave you all hanging. I must endure the pain for my loyal fans who have stuck with the story from the beginning. Thank you all for the much needed support.**

**The poll is almost over! I'll leave it on till wensday, then I'm taking it down and tallying up all the votes to see which story won. Right now, looks like A Time Before Fairy Tails is winning by nine to eight votes. Not to late for The Growing Dragon to win.**

**By Saturday or Sunday the winning story will be up with the new chapter of The Story of a Dragon, a Knight, and a Fairy Hunter.**

**Now I need to go to sleep. If you got any questions about the chapter review and ask away and I'll answer as soon as I can.**

**Read and Review.**

**NeoShadows fading out.**


	7. A Dark Shadow of Fire

**Hello my loyal and awesome fans! Neoshadows is back and with a new chapter and an apology.**

**I'm sorry to all my fans for taking a week off from writing. My body ended up suffering from old wounds from getting run over by a truck and I was unable to do any writing for nearly a week. Even after two years, my cracked skeletal system still hasn't fully healed. I had to take some of my old pain killers to dull the pain which didn't. Extra strong my ass.**

**But, thankfully, my body has recovered enough fro**

**m relaxing and staying in bed enough for me to type and continue with the next chapter. This new arc will probably take up to, I don't know, seven to eight chapters? Maybe more depending on how it goes.**

**For those of you who had questions concerning the new arc, I have had enough time to answer them. First of all, I don't know about writing Lemons. I don't really know how to write one and with FF cracking down on fics with Lemons I don't know if I'll be able to any. But I will think about it. For how Knightwalker will fight, this chapter will explain a little about that. I don't know if I made a mistake with the yandere comment but I'll read it over again later.**

**I know I'm still making mistakes but I promise you all I'll try to work on that. I need a Beta Reader to help me out with that and to bounce around ideas with my fic. If you're interested, I must remind you that you have to of met FF's rules about becoming one and have a story that doesn't have that many mistakes in them. I'll even send you a copy of one of my past chapters that have mistakes in them to test you out. Until then, thank you all for putting up with my still imperfect writing. I still got a lot to learn it seems.**

**Oh! And don't forget just in case you haven't noticed yet, my new story is already up. If you want to check it out, go to my profile and read on. I'll get started on the next chapter as soon as I'm done then work on this story again. I'd like to remind you all that I will never abandon any of my fics until it reaches it's end. Hell, I'm sure Fairy Tail still isn't near it's end. Their still more to go.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Fairy Tail. It belongs to Hiro Mashima. But I do own the idea for this story. So suck on that Mashima!**

**. . . . Please, if your reading this Mashima, don't sue me. I'm too handsome to go to jail with the rest of my uncles and cousins!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: A Dark Shadow of Fire.**

* * *

Waking up to finding yourself dressed up like a mummy for the second time since Edolas wasn't what Natsu had planned for when he found himself staring up the ceiling of the Fairy Tails medical room.

Laying back his head against his pillow, Natsu was at least glad that he finally had time for himself since the last time he woke up. Why the hell was he even in the medical room of the guild, he didn't know. The last thing he remembered was being sucked into Anima with all his nakama and the lacrima housing the Exceed. Scratching his bandaged head in thought, Natsu suddenly grimaced as mini flash backs bombarded his head.

Scenes of what had happened after they all landed back in Earthland safe and sound clicked inside his head like a slide show. The Exceed turning back to normal, their happy and sad faces at making it out of Edolas and losing their home, their goal of searching for all the missing Exceed that had been sent to Earthland to protect them after finding out the truth of the Queen's visions, and shocking of all, the return of Lissana. Natsu smiled thinking back on finding out Lissana was alive all these years. To think she was actually in Edolas these last two years, he still couldn't believe it.

But that's were his memories stopped. Thinking back on it, Natsu could of swore he saw a cascade of scarlet red hair from behind Lissana when she tackled him to the ground to hug him before he suddenly saw black. And the bump on his head wasn't doing him any good on trying to remember why he was in passed out. Natsu knew his injuries were bad, but they couldn't of been that bad. Right?

He sighed. Oh well, might as well not waste any time on why he found himself lying in bed. He was home and that was all that mattered. The sudden shouts of fighting and tables being flipped over from the gu ild hall was music in his ears.

"Fiiiiiiiiisssshhh. Come back Mr. Gills! All I wanna do is dress you up in tarter sauce and bread."

_'Happy?'_ Natsu though in confusion before turning his head to the side to find his best friend sleeping on a chair right next. The little blue Exceed was curled up with drool running his cheek dreaming about chasing after a fish with his paws moving like he was running after the fish in his dream. Natsu chuckled watching his friend start to whine about cheating fish and something about Captain Whiskers. Happy must have been waiting for him to wake up and ended up falling asleep. He always did that whenever Natsu had injured himself too much during training or after a big fight.

_'Guess everything's back to normal.'_ well as normal as everything should be. Natsu still couldn't ignore the two major changes that had happened to him while in Edolas.

The fight with Doroma Animu had really done a number on him. Natsu's gut still felt like it had been torn to shreds after it's metal fingers had stabbed into him. That and the burns covering nearly every part of his body. The red burns had faded away thanks to Wendy's healing magic but he could still feel the phantom burns of eating his own fire. No way in hell was ever doing that ever again. Igneel had told him that eating his own magic was suicidal, he was just to drowned in his hate seeing both of his nakama look as if they died.

His eye's turned to his now slightly longer pink hair at the thought of the taboo. What else had the it done to him? He wasn't going to grow a dragon tail too, was he? Because that actually sounded kinda cool.

Goddammit! This was not cool! He wanted he regular onyx black eye's back! The hair he could deal with but the only time his eyes ever turned green were when he got really mad while using his Dragon Slayer magic. It just felt weird. Like he was staring a different person in the mirror with his new eye's.

Natsu scratched his head with a sigh at his little problem. Thinking back on it, why did he eat his fire? All he remembered was seeing red before his body erupted into an inferno. The rest was nothing but a red hazy blur. Natsu grimaced gripping his stomach were Doroma Animu's sharp fingers stabbed into him. The red hazy blur had finally faded away when the bastard's fingers poked into his gut. Now he understood why they called him salamander. Transforming into a miniature dragon felt awesome but it also hurt like hell. It was like he was covered in scales hotter then his own fire. The feeling of his heightened senses being jacked up to the next level left his senses really sensitive after the transformation ended. At least he knew why he had passed out while he was in Edolas.

Thinking back to all that happened in Edolas a wide cheerful grin spread made it's way to Natsu's face thinking to the second major change.

Which decided to make herself known by barging through the doors to his room with a tackling hug that Natsu was sure cracked a couple of ribs.

"Natsu!" Knightwalker happily cried waking up Happy who rubbed his eye's tiredly before seeing his best friend awake.

"Natsu!" and now their were two faces rubbing against his cheek. Great. It wasn't like he was in enough pain as it is.

Knightwalker was so glad Natsu was alright. After they had landed in Earthland the first thing she wanted to do was hug the everlasting life out of the Dragon Slayer. The idiot had unknowingly brought her with him back to his dimension with his scarf. How? She didn't know and she didn't care. All Knightwalker cared about was being with the man that had opened up her lonely heart to nakama.

But then that white haired girl from Edolas had hugged her Natsu and her plans had been shot down. Then to make things worse Natsu had passed out from his injuries which were still not fully healed for him to be walking, let alone fighting which he did with Gerard. His injuries had opened up with his fight with the fake fight with prince of Edolas, the worse one being the one on his lower stomach. They had rushed back to their guild to tend to his wounds where they were able to make it just in time before his condition turned to the worse.

"I'm so glad your awake, Natsu." Knightwalker sighed in content ignoring Natsu's groans of pain, "You had me really worried back their. Thank god that Porlyusica women was able to heal your injuries. I wasn't able to sleep the last three days till I knew you were all right with my own eye's."

"Aye! Both Erza and Erza wouldn't leave your side till Porlyusica kicked everyone out of the room and started rambling on about how filthy humans were. I'm the only one that was allowed to stay because I'm not human." Happy grinned.

But the only thing that caught Natsu's attention was how many day's he was knocked out.

"THREE DAY'S?" Natsu shouted in shock. Why the hell did this always happen? He could get his ass handed to him by the strongest mages in Earthland and still walk out of it fine. Well, not fine fine but his own definition of fine which was alive. But eat something that wasn't fire and he was out for half a week. Like he got his ass kicked by food. That sucked.

"Don't worry Natsu, nothing big happened while you were asleep." Happy assured him, "Nothing but a big party welcoming us all back and the big party brawl that breaks out ten minutes later. Nothing big." the Exceed smiled while Natsu felt like tearing out his hair. He missed the party brawl? Ah come on! Those were the biggest and wildest fights in Fairy Tail!

Knightwalker sighed in remembrance on her first Fairy Tail brawl. So much fighting in one day. It was fun, especially when both her and Scarlet nearly tore apart the guild hall with their fight over the dragon mage.

"This sucks!" Natsu pouted, "I've been sleeping for three day's straight and I already missed the big party brawl. You guy's couldn't of waited?"

Natsu soon regretted his words as Knightwalker felt guilt stricken having fun without her nakama. The scarlet's hand's snaked around the Dragon Slayer's neck before he was suddenly engulfed in another one of the scarlet's bountiful hugs. Natsu blushed three different shades of red feeling Knightwalker's soft yet firm breasts rubbed against his face.

Natsu may have been an idiot who didn't understand have the things people tried to tell him but he wasn't as innocent as everyone thought. He perfectly understood the painfully embarrassing lesson of the birds and the bees he was taught by Makarov. And he, like every man, was tempted by the soft tempting flesh of beautiful women. Hell, you could call him a pervert if you wanted. Of course Natsu would then beat the living crap out of whoever said that for basically comparing him to the dirty old geezer of a master he had and Gildarts, the two most notorious womanizer's in the guild.

So it was only fair that he blushed feeling Knightwalker's dirty pillows pressing up against his face.

Knightwalker cried tears of guilt hugging her precious nakama close to her chest, "I'm sorry Natsu! Please forgive me! If theirs anything I can do to make it up to you, then I'll do anything." a look of seduction entered Knightwalker's eye's as she swayed her breasts in Natsu's face getting the fire mage to have a nosebleed, "And I do mean anything." she whispered huskily.

"I don't get it." Happy scratched his chin in thought not understanding the seductive undertone of Erza's 'twin', "But does it mean she'll even make us a fish buffet?" drool leaked out Happy's mouth at the thought of all the fish, his stomach growling loudly enough to scare the young Exceed.

"Natsu! I think theirs a dog in the room! It growled at me!" he cried hanging on the ceiling of the room by his nails.

Before Natsu could even attempt to wriggle out of his affectionate nakama's hug the scarlet haired spearwomen was suddenly wrapped in chains around her waist by someone at the door. The chains tightened around the women before she was dragged off from Natsu towards with a shout of outrage from the scarlet. Natsu breathed a sigh of relief finally feeling his lungs fill up with air once Knightwalker was pulled off of him.

Erza Scarlet sighed reeling in her Edolas counterpart with the chains wrapped around her arm she had re-equipped to capture the redhead. She couldn't take her eye's away from Knightwalker for more then a second without her going off to cuddle with Natsu or threaten to cut off a limb to whoever made fun of him. Erza lost track of how many times she had to stop Knightwalker from mauling Gray whenever he insulted Natsu. The last three day's had her keeping her counterpart on a leash, literately, since her first day in Fairy Tail.

Bones were broken, blood was spilled, people were traumatized, and it had only been an hour since Knightwalker stepped foot on the guilds hall. Poor master, Erza didn't know why but when the master had first found laid eye's on her Edolas self standing next to her with an unconscious Natsu he had frozen in place for a good minute before bursting out in tears. She had tried reassuring the master thinking he was crying over the Dragon Slayer's wounds only to fail as Knightwalker socked Gray in the face for poking Natsu's face with an icicle. It had pretty much developed into an all out welcome back battle royal with Natsu's unconscious body being thrown all over the guild hall like a volley ball after that.

Ignoring Knightwalker glaring angrily up at her, Erza made her way over to Natsu, smiling as he turned his head to grin over at her.

"It's good to see you well Natsu." Erza smiled sincerely dropping Knightwalker next to Natsu's bed railing.

"Yeah, as well as I can look looking like a mummy." Natsu said flatly before chuckling, "My body still feels sore but other then that, I'm fine."

Seeing no sign of the dog he heard earlier, Happy floated down, landing on top of Natsu's head with a pout. "I'm hungry. Do you have any fish Natsu?" he asked his long time friend who looked up at the Exceed with a deadpan stare.

"I've been asleep for three days. What do you think?"

"I think your being a meanie and that someones a bit grumpy."

Releasing herself from Scarlet's chains which disappeared in a flash, Knightwalker glared Erza before her eye's softened turning back towards Natsu. "Are you sure your feeling alright, Natsu?" she asked with a bit of worry in her voice, "The fight with Doroma Animu had really damaged you. Even Wendy and Gajeel are still recovering from their injuries dealt from it's black heaven form. You shouldn't move around too much if your still hurt."

Natsu smiled at the ex-Fairy Hunter's concern, tossing the cover's to the side Natsu jumped out of the bed landing on his feet. The weary feeling crawling up his arm's and leg's annoyed the Dragon Slayer before he began to stretch out his tired limbs to get the feeling back into them.

"Yeah, don't worry about it." he grunted as he stretched back his arm over his head with a pop, unaware of the stares both scarlet haired women were giving. Their eyes roamed over the pink haired mage's body with matching blushes, tracing over the developed muscles on his arm's, leg's, and six pack. "Dragon Slayer's have really good healing abilities. Normal wounds will heal up in a day. The one that bag of bolts dealt to me are probably already healed. Except the one on my stomach." his eye's looked down to the bandages wrapped around his stomach, grimacing feeling a slight sting from moving around, "That might take a while to heal. The bastard basically punched a hole in my gut and I could feel it graze a couple of organs back at Edolas. I'm lucky the stab didn't hit anything important or I would have been screwed." he laughed slightly.

The girls didn't seem to listen as they were too busy with their dirty thoughts of the half naked mage. Let it be known that while both Erza's were different in their own right, they still shared similar interest's. Such as dirty novels.

And pink haired Dragon Slayer.

"See! I'm not the only who's hungry." Happy exclaimed pointing a finger to the two dazed scarlet's, "Their hungry too. Their so hungry their drooling."

Suddenly snapping out of their daze, both Erzas were surprised to find themselves drooling a bit. They quickly wiped away the drool hoping Natsu didn't notice with an embarrassed blush.

Seeing both Erza and Erza look away in embarrassment, Natsu laughed thinking they were hungry but too stubborn to admit it. "If your all hungry the let's go to the guild hall get something to eat." he licked his lips already at the thought of feeding his aching stomach. He hadn't eating in day's and was ready to devour anything Mira cooked up. "I'm so hungry I could eat a dragon." he groaned holding his growling stomach.

Erza smiled happy to see Natsu all right. She was so worried when he suddenly collapsed in Lissana's arm's from his injuries which were still not fully healed. The idiot had opened them back up while fighting Mystogun before leaving Edolas, the worse one being the his stabbed stomach. Erza had half a mind to punish the idiot for risking his health but knew that it was important to save Edolas.

She still didn't like it but knew their was no other way to bring hope to the magic-less world. Thank god Porlyusica was able to heal his wounds while Wendy was sleeping from the exhaustion of trying to use her magic to heal him.

About to walk out with both Erzas, Natsu's eye's suddenly caught eye of his white scaly scarf laid out next to his side in a chair. Quickly grabbing, Natsu was happy to the warm feeling of Igneel's scarf wrapped back around him. He was starting to feel naked without the thing really. Like he was missing a part of himself without it.

Making a mental note to thank Knightwalker for protecting his prized possession, Natsu quickly made his way out the door where the two twined scarlets waited for him.

* * *

"So how you feeling Flame Breath?" Gray asked surprisingly not naked as Team Natsu all sat around each other in the guild hall.

After getting round of welcome backs and a few worried questions, Natsu was finally able to sit down and eat. Having must of sensed he was starving, Mira giggled before bringing out an assortment of flaming food for him to eat. Natsu's eye's sparkled seeing the delicious buffet just for him before muttering a quick thank you and chowing down into a flaming plate of spaghetti.

Currently Natsu was on his ninth plate, scarfing down a chicken leg before he leveled a glare towards Gray. He shook the chicken bone angrily at Gray while mumbling few curse words that they couldn't understand due to the food in his mouth. Gray scoffed at his rival shouting at him with mouthful of food.

"Chew and swallow first, Pinky. I don't want any of your garbage dirtying my clothes." he growled swatting away flying bone aimed at his face.

Downing another plate of food, Natsu sighed in content patting his now filled belly despite the sting it brought him from his wound. Trust Mira to make a kick ass meal. She always knew just what he needed to fill his empty stomach.

"Dame, that hit the spot!" he grinned before drinking a mug of beer courtesy of Cana, "I thought I was about to die of hunger! I swear, Happy was starting to look more and more like a flying blue grilled fish. No offense little buddy." he smiled apologetically towards the Exceed who was chewing on a fish.

"So, are you sure you're feeling alright, Natsu?" Lucy frowned worriedly, her eye's staring at his heavily bandaged waist. From her spot next to Gray, she could see the bandages wrapped all over him from across the table.

"So what I'd miss while I was knocked out for three day's?" he asked Erza sitting next to him with Knightwalker.

"Don't ignore me goddammit!" she shouted hitting Natsu on top of the head.

Natsu groaned feeling the new lump on his head sting, "I'm sorry Lucy, but I'm tired of everyone asking me the same question over and over again. 'Are you alright?', 'You shouldn't be moving around too much in your condition.', 'Take a bath! You smell like dirty old meat!'"

"That last one was me." Gray smirked.

"Shut the hell up!" throwing a dirty old plate, Natsu knocked his rival out of his seat before continuing, "You know, thing's like that." he shrugged, "If I wasn't feeling alright, I'd still be in bed. Which I have been for three day's straight."

"Technically, it's more like five day's." Lucy laughed sheepishly. Seeing Natsu confused look she decided to explain, "You know when you were in Edolas you were asleep for two day's because of your fight with Doroma Animu? Well you only were awake for maybe two hours before we were sent back home and passed out in Lissana's arms. So, technically, you were passed out for nearly a week."

"EHHHHHHHH? You got to be kidding me! How was I asleep for nearly a week!"

"I think I can answer that." Knightwalker sighed as everyone stared at her, "As Natsu was in a short medical coma for his wounds to recover, his majesty, king Faust, knew that the only way for his plan to work out perfectly was for Natsu to be awake. So it was decided that we inject a special drug into his blood stream to wake him from his sleep long enough for it all to work out perfectly." as much as she didn't like the plan, it was necessary. Waking someone as badly wounded as Natsu from their rest when they weren't fully healed could of lead to negative consequences. Thankfully Natsu was fine and was going to recover alright.

"Well that sucks." the fire mage pouted before looking over at the scarlet sitting next to him. "So, what did I miss?"

"Not much." she shrugged with a smile, "Other then the welcome home party, thing's have been rather calm since we came back. Besides everyone being a lot happier now that Lissana's back, nothing's change. Oh, wait." she suddenly laughed sheepishly turning over to her look alike with amusement in her eye. "Knightwalker still hasn't joined the guild yet. For some reason she's been holding back on joining the guild since we got here. I wonder why?"

Natsu frowned as he looked over at Knightwalker confusingly, "You don't want to join the guild? Why?"

"It's not that!" Knightwalker shouted frantically not wanting to see Natsu disappointed. "I just wanted to wait till you woke up is all." she poked her fingers together nervously looking down hoping Natsu didn't see her blush, "I still don't know how your suppose to join a guild, so I waited till you were awake to help me out. Do you have to pass some sort of test to join or fight a member to prove your strength to the master?" she asked not knowing how one joined a wizard guild.

"It's nothing complicated like that." Erza answered. "It's rather simple really. The master just has to agree on you joining the guild. The master has a good eye and is a great judge of character, if he see's you as a Fairy Tail material, whether strong or weak, you can join."

"Really?" Knightwalker asked in slight disbelief before shaking her head with a frown, "But what if I don't have any magic? I don't necessarily know how to use magic without using a weapon with a lacrima crystal embedded in it."

"I'm sure we can work something out, Knightwalker." Erza smirked smugly, "I know a great blacksmith who can probably help you out on acquiring a weapon that will allow you to use spells. As long as you know what is needed to make the weapon everything will be fine. Mystogun didn't have any internal magic and yet he was able to acquire the title as an S-rank mage."

"S-rank mage? What would that be?"

"An S-rank mage is mage who has passed the S-class mage promotional trial held every year in Fairy Tail. Their are different way's of attaining the title in other guilds but that is how we in Fairy Tail achieve the rank. S-rank mages are powerful mages recognized for their amazing strength, heart, and intelligence and are able to take on S-class missions, missions in which one mistake can lead to death. Even though it seems that Mystogun was incapable of using magic, he was able to achieve the rank of S-class with only his staffs. I'm sure master will understand and let you join even though you're not able to use any spells right now." Erza smiled reassuringly.

A small sincere smile made it's way to Knightwalker's face. She still wasn't use to such kindness. She had grown up being taught that such kindness was just a tactic to lower your guard so that the enemy could strike. In the military academy she had grown up in while orphaned, she was taught to never let your guard down and to keep an your emotions to yourself, never to let them shown. She had worn a cold iron clad heart since then, never letting anyone get close enough to let her guard down. A perfect soldier.

And all that military training to become a perfect soldier had been instantly burned down by one fire breathing mage with a heart of gold.

"Thank you, Scarlet." Knightwalker said softly. It felt nice not guarding her emotions anymore. She was starting to feel comfortable being herself around these fairies. Knightwalker suddenly chuckled getting the table to look at her strangely.

Funny. It was only a week ago that she had been hunting these fairies and now she was about to become one of them.

Natsu's ear's twitched as he thought about what Erza had just said, the word S-class jumping inside his head like one of those jumping beans Droy grew. 'S-Class huh? Now that I think about it, it's around the time of year that the S-class exams start.' Natsu grinned wolfishly at the thought of the exams before suddenly jumping out of his seat surprising Team Natsu and Knightwalker.

"Hey Erza!" Natsu shouted getting the Titania's attention, "Where's the old man? There's something I want to ask the old geezer while we're getting Erza into the guild."

A dark shadow suddenly loomed over Natsu as Erza answered the Dragon Slayer, unaware of the menacing figure grinning evilly over him.

"Uh, the master was actually looking for you Natsu. He said he had something important to talk to you about." she said looking at the person standing behind the fire mage like a wide eyed cat.

"Really?" Natsu scratched his head in confusion. He just woke up so he couldn't really think of anything master Makarov would want to talk to him about. He hadn't destroyed anything in nearly a week! What the hell did he want to talk to him about?

"Heave-ho!"

"What the hell?" Without any warning, Natsu was picked up from behind and tossed over by a tall man with shoulder length reddish orange hair slicked back over his shoulder like a rag doll before numerous chains were wrapped around his wrists and legs. The tall man wore a simple and practical attire, consisting of a dark, tattered cape over his bare chest, with a high collar and armored plates on the shoulders, held closed by a belt and usually covering his whole figure, and loose dark pants, complete with an armored waist-guard with plates similar to the ones on his shoulders, tucked inside simple boots. The only thing out of place of the man was the bandages wrapped around his lower part of his body and right arm, not too mention his prosthetic arm and leg. His left arm and left leg were made of hard iron steel to replace the appendages he had lost while on a mission. Natsu glared heatedly at both Gildarts and Gajeel, a thin orange-red aura enveloping him that slightly singed the crash mage's cape.

"Oi! Gildart's, Gajeel, what the fuck are you two doing! Let me the hell down!" Natsu tried to summon some fire magic to melt off the chains only to get a smack in the head by the the taller orange head man. "Ow! Don't hit me you old bastard! If you're looking for a fight, then all you have to do is ask. Don't fucking capture me like I'm sort of prisoner!"

"Anybody got a roll of tape we can use?" Gajeel asked Natsu's group who continued to stare in disbelief at the two older men's calm behavior.

They shook their heads still in shock getting Gajeel to tched before leaving the guild, Gildarts following right behind him with Natsu shouting curses at the two kidnappers as the entire guild watched on in stunned silence at what just happened. The guild went silent as they disappeared off to who know's where with the loud fire Dragon Slayer.

". . . . What just happened?" Lucy sweat dropped staring at where the crash and iron Dragon Slayer left with Natsu. "I don't know whether to be alarmed or frightened at what I just saw."

"Do not worry, Lucy." Erza said confidently before she was enveloped in a glow of magic, "Whatever he may of done, I will fight with everything I have to prove him innocent of his charges. How many them may be."

Lucy stared with a deadpan looking at the armored mage's new attire. Erza had re-equipped into a sexy blue business suit with a blue mini skirt and an opened blue business top revealing a fair amount of her cleavage with black glasses. Why did she even have something like that in her collection? How was she suppose to fight enemy mages in that!

"Everyone's innocent until proven guilty." Erza smirked before she was flanked by both Knightwalker and Happy in their own business suits. "We will not rest until Natsu is proven innocent of all his charges. I will personally punish him for what he may have done with my own hands if I have to."

'Great.' Lucy sighed seeing both Knightwalker and Happy get dragged into whatever Erza was planning. It hadn't even been an hour since Natsu woke up and already everything was getting out of hand. How the hell did those two even get their own suits? Knightwalker didn't know how to use Erza's magic and Happy was a flying cat.

Hoping to at least get a normal answer out of Gray, Lucy's face fell seeing the ice make mage wearing black sunglasses and wearing a suit with a briefcase at his side.

"I will not rest until my opponent is proven guilty of everything he has done. Magnolia can not, will not, sleep peacefully at night until the defendant is put behind bars. This I swear." he said stoicly.

"Not you too!"

* * *

"Soooo, mind telling me where the hell you guy's are taking me?" Natsu asked boredly having gotten tired of trying to get them to let him go.

By now they had dragged him past Magnolia and in to the woods, deep enough so that no one would hear anymore of Natsu's shouting. He honestly didn't know what the hell they were up to as he tried to think despite the constant tree branches smacking into his face. He growled feeling one of the branches cut into his cheek as he still didn't get any answer out of Gildart's or Gajeel.

Passing by a familiar part of forests of Magnolia, Natsu felt a nostalgic smile creep into his face. They stopped dropping Natsu on the ground of forest, far away from peering eyes that might want to try and spy on them. The area the Fairy Tail mages stopped in was a small field with trees scattered around wide enough for enough room to practice their magic spells. Natsu should of known, he had come here back when he was little to practice his magic while using the trees as targets. Several rocks where scattered around as little obstacles with a couple of big ones he had used to try out his _**Karyu no **__**Tekken(Fire Dragon's Iron Fist)**_ on.

A short walk away from here was also the small hut he and Lissana use to play home in while raising Happy. And it was also the spot where Lissana's memorial stone stood in memory of her death. Natsu was glad that their old little hut would no longer hold anymore painful memories now that she was back.

Having been sucked into Edolas was probably one of the best thing's that had ever happened to Natsu. Not only had they saved their friends from a power mad king, but they had brought back someone they had once thought dead that was dear to their heart. And they had gained a new guild member even though they had lost one. Natsu was going to miss Mystogun even though he didn't know the blue haired man too much and had the face of the man who reduced the person he looked up to the most into tears. Everyone in the guild was family to him and even though he didn't know Mystogun personally, he was truly going to miss him.

"So where is the old man?" Gajeel scratched his head in confusing trying to spot a tiny man in funny clothes, "He told us to meet him out here and he's a no show? How unprofessional." he shook his head.

Gildarts laughed leaning his shoulder on top of Natsu's head who felt a mad twitch in his eye start to develop, "The master? Professional? Ha! Next thing you know your going to be saying he's not a drunken old man."

Laughing, Gildarts was unprepared for a tiny fist to stretch over from a few feet away to smack into his face. The fist despite being old and small surprisingly sent the powerful S-class mage crashing into a tree which shook from the tall man slamming into it. Grimacing from the small lump forming on his head, Gildart's glared at the tiny old man sitting on a tree stump with a mug of booze in his hand, calmly sipping said booze while kicking his feet on the stump which was still taller then him.

The old man was extremely short, with black eyes which were closed and bald with only the outer rims of his head containing white hair. He also has a thick white mustache. He wore an orange shirt over a white shirt and orange pants. He also wore a funny orange hat with blue stripes and two pointy horns pulled back and pointy brown shoes. The old man pulled back his stretched fist before wiping some booze off his mustache and turning to look over the chained Dragon Slayer.

Makarov raised his hand to greet Natsu with a smile on his face, "Nice for you to drop by Natsu. I was wondering when you'd wake up from your little coma. Everyone back at the guild were worried sick when your team suddenly barged into the guild carrying your bloody, dirty unconscious body. You had me worried my boy." he sighed.

"What's up master?" Natsu greeted calmly with a deadpan look before suddenly exploding in rage, "Now can you tell me why I shouldn't come marching up to your tree stump to wipe off that drunken grin of yours! Because I'm pissed!" he shouted, part's of his body steaming in anger.

Downing the last drops of his booze, Makarov sighed in content before throwing the mug straight at the fire mage's head, "I'm not drunk yet! This is only my sixteenth mug boy! I ain't a light weight like you little brats!" Makarov shouted back as Natsu rubbed his head in pain from the mug shattering against his head only to fail as his hands were still tied up by Gajeel's chains. Natsu glared up Gajeel who glared back down at his fellow Dragon Slayer while Makarov calmed down. The third master opened his eye's to stare seriously at Natsu, his grandfatherly smile disappearing being replaced by a look of grim.

Makarov waved his hands at Gajeel, signaling him to release the chains tying Natsu's arms and leg's. Gajeel nodded not making any snark remark as he undid the chains. Free of his chains Natsu jumped up in joy dancing around at finally being freed from his chains.

"Freedom! Sweet, sweet freedom!" Natsu cheered joyously.

"ENOUGH NATSU!" Makarov shouted sharply, stunning to fire mage to stop and look back at his master in shock. Closing his eye's to collect his thought's, the Titan mage sighed having always hated shouted at his children with such force. But this time he had no other choice. Natsu had done something that would cause a threat to not only his self but, his everyone else around him.

Seeing the fire mage stop his fooling around, Makarov opened his eye's to stare seriously at Natsu, "Natsu, do you know why I had both Gildart's and Gajeel escort you all the way out here?"

"No, I don't." Natsu answered honestly. Of course he didn't know why the hell they had chained him up and tossed him over their shoulders like a rag doll in front of the guild. What the was he? Psychic?

Makarov shook his head with a frown before turning to look at Gajeel. Seeming to understand what his master was trying to tell him Gajeel began to tell Natsu what he had done wrong.

"Remember back at Edolas, when we were fighting Doroma Animu in it's Black Heaven form?" Gajeel asked Natsu who nodded grimly, "You did something really fucking stupid back there while me and Wendy escaped to help Titania after being hit by the Dragon Knight's roar. You ate your own magic fire." he glared holding himself back from shouting at the fool for doing something their respected parent's had warned them, "I can honesty care less if you kill yourself doing something retarded but not this way! Do you even know the fucking consequences of what you did could have been if one of us was near by when you lost control!" he roared picking the pink haired mage up by the scruff of his scarf.

"Then what the hell would you of wanted me to do Gajeel!" Natsu shouted back angrily unable to control the sudden burst of flames. Natsu knew that his father Igneel had warned him strictly not to ever eat his own fire back when he was kid. It was the only rule that he had given him about his mage. The fire dragon could care less if Natsu used his magic for his own selfish needs even though he knew he would never abuse the magic, but he stressed the importance of never eating his own magic.

Natsu was desperate. Watching as both Erza and Knightwalker seemingly died right in front of his eye's had snapped something inside his head. That something was reason as he flared up with fire magic before devouring the scorching inferno enveloping him in hopes of replenishing his magic and stamina. At that point, the fire Dragon Slayer was willing to break any rule to reduce the ugly piece of junk standing before him into ash. He had lost control and paid the consequences for it.

Scales began to pop up all around Natsu's body losing control of his magic as he butted head's with Gajeel who summoned his iron scales to protect himself from the fire flaring up around Natsu's body, "I won, didn't I? We're all safe and back home in one piece, right?" he whispered harshly, his eye's wide in anger, "I know what I did was wrong and ended up changing my appearance, but it ended up saving us all. And I would've done it again if it meant saving my nakama!" he shouted as his canines grew.

Gajeel's eye's widened in disbelief before he snarled in open anger at the ignorant Dragon Slayer. He was starting to lose his patience with Natsu and was already having a hard time from keeping himself from beating the knowledge into his skull.

"ENOUGH!" Makarov shouted flaring violently with light magic. His eye's shone with light as he swiped his finger's in an odd formation over at Natsu before two stone pillars rose besides Natsu's side that trapped his hands still. The two stones then moved apart from each other stretching Natsu's hand wide like he was on a cross. A glimmering light shone around the fire Dragon's neck that began to morph into a collar of light as chains made from Makarov's magic wrapped around Natsu's body and neck like a leash. "_**Tenku no Kanshu(Heavens Keeper)**_."

_'What the hell?'_ Natsu though shakily as he suddenly found himself drained of his magic power. The flames around him vanished into thin air along with his scales.

The ground shook under their feet shook like a mini earthquake before it began to crumble in a net like patter around all three of the mages. Makarov and Gajeel landed in the pit on their feet while Natsu landed kneeling still trapped in Makarov's spell. The net like pieces of earth floated in the air above the twenty foot deep hole as Gildart's dropped down into the hole looking just as serious as Makarov.

"_**Kumitate: Chikyu Domu(Assemble: Earth Dome)**_." Gildart's mumbled as the cubed earth came together like blocks to build a cathedral dome over the pit to seal then in.

"You don't seem to understand the severity of eating your own fire, Natsu." the crash mage said sternly as he walked over to Natsu who struggled to escape the sealing spell binding him still again.

Natsu panted feeling his energy drain by the master's spell before turning to glare tiredly up at the man who he had made it his goal to beat, "Oh yeah? And you do?"

"Actually, he does." Gajeel answered cracking his neck pointing over at both the master and Gildart's, "I told them both the consequences which you don't even know. You think I was kidding when I told you back in that parallel world that I was going to talk to you about the forbidden taboo? Do you even know how fucked up your magic has become?" he sneered.

"My magic's working just fine!" Natsu argued.

"Oh really?" Gajeel snorted, "You haven't noticed that while you've been getting angry, your fire magic has been flaring up without your control?" hearing pink haired mage go quite, Gajeel continued, "You even tapped into your Dragon Force without knowing it. That's the kind of things that eating your fire has done to you. If you ever get pissed off bad enough with an enemy you might just lose control of your fire and go ballistic. You'll end up hurting those close to you without even knowing it."

Listening to seem to know about the side affects of eating your own element Natsu couldn't help but frown confusingly up at the iron Dragon Slayer. Igneel had never told him what exactly would happen if you ate your magic, just not to do it. That was it. He never told him that you would turn into a mini dragon.

"How. . . . do you even know all this?" Natsu asked Gajeel who looked away looking ashamed.

Gajeel sighed before showing the scar on his right arm to Natsu. "You see this?" he asked, "I got this from Metalicana when I did the same stupid shit you did a week ago. I ate my own iron." he answered bluntly causing Natsu's eye's to widen.

"I was a kid back then, I didn't really see what the big deal was about the stupid rule and I was really hungry. Seeing as he had flown off to gather more iron to eat, I summoned some iron with my magic to eat since I couldn't wait for Metalicana to come back. Then, the next thing I know, I was in a world of pain I had never experienced before." Gajeel sat down cross legged recalling his experience with eating is own magic, scratching his head in regret, "It felt like my whole body was being torn apart and shaped like molten steel into something I wasn't. A dragon. I don't remember much after that, but apparently I went on a rampage tearing apart the nearby forest into shreds before Metalicana came by to stop me. Even though I was just a kid, I was somehow able to leave a scar on Metalicana's chest before he bit into my arm." clenching the scarred arm feeling the phantom pain from his foster father's fangs biting into him, Gajeel shook away the memory, "Apparently a dragon's natural magic can snap you out of your dragon state, it's own magic shutting down the unstable magic in your system. After that he had bitched at for nearly full hour about how stupid I was for eating my own iron and telling me about the negative affects about doing it. So as you can see, I know exactly what your going through."

"And what am I going through?" Natsu scowled.

"Well, for one, you're going to need to control your Dragon Force somehow. Dragon Force seems to be able to go a step further now that you ate your fire. If you can't control it, you'll end up transforming into the same out of control beast that fought Doroma Animu. Second, ten years have been taken away from your life force. That one's a biggy. The metamorphosis and strain put on the body ends up draining years of your life in exchange for the big power boost. Hell, I don't even know how long I got." he chuckled only to get a round of deadpan looks from everyone, "Moving on. Third and finally, you need to control your anger. If you get pissed off too much, your fire magic will go out of wack and lash out, hurting the people you care about. Train a bit and you'll get your magic steady enough to control yourself. Until then, control yourself." he glared.

Natsu continued to scowl for a few moments before relenting to Gajeel's words and sighing.

He honesty didn't want to go through what happened to him back in Edolas to happen ever again. Even when he was blinded in hate, Natsu could still feel the pain of the transformation tear apart his body. It was hell and he wasn't ready to go through that again.

Then their was losing control of his magic. He didn't want to hurt anyone he cared about anymore because of his stupidity. As much as they all tried to hide it, his friends had been hurt at seeing his bandaged body. They didn't like seeing him as weak as he was now. Now Natsu was becoming threat to them if he loses control of his emotions. His fire was dangerous and he didn't want his flames to lash out at anyone he considered a nakama.

And his life force? Natsu really didn't care much about losing ten years but if Erza ever found out she would be him to a bloody pulp. Plus he didn't want to worry her. He cared too much about her to worry her.

_'I guess I got to listen to Gajeel.'_ Natsu pouted inwardly at having to listen to the iron Dragon Slayer, _'The ass hole knows what he's talking about and I don't want to hurt anybody. Actually, I want to hurt him but the master will probably punish me I did.'_

"Alright." Natsu mumbled before felt Makarov release the spell holding him still. Standing back up while rubbing his wrists from the rock, Natsu grinned towards to the master who made his way over to the three mages, "I'll listen to whatever you guy's have to say. But," he dramaticly paused getting his master to look at him with a raised brow, "you have to let Knightwalker join Fairy Tail. If you let her join, I'll do whatever it takes to get myself under control."

"That's fine with me." Makarov grinned before laughing perversely, "Having another sexy mage to guild is always all right to me. Especially with the fact she looks like our Erza. It's like seeing double red!" the master patted Natsu's back proudly confusing the pink haired boy who stared at his master strangely, "I'm proud of you my boy. Bringing in another bombshell to guild. I should send you out for recruiting new members since you have an eye for women even though you're as dumb as a rock."

"Oi! I'm way smarter then so dumb old rock! And stay way from Knightwalker! She doesn't need you acting like an old pervert. She'll probably slice you in half if you try anything funny." Natsu sweat dropped.

"Oh, feisty huh? Even better!"

'Dirty old man.' Natsu chuckled stretching his back to the kinks out of it. The master's spell was something. Even after he released it he still couldn't use any of his magic. The only thing he could summon was a small ember from his finger that proceeded to burn Gajeel's side with.

"Oww! What the hell, Natsu?" Gajeel yelled butting heads with the Salamander once again as they were only moments away from breaking out in a fight, "You got something to say to me, shrimp? If it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you'll get."

"Bring it, iron head. I can whoop your ass from here to Fairy Tail back! I just need to wait for my magic to come back to me. Until then, I'll just settle for my fist's to kick your ass with."

"And we're back to normal I guess." Gildarts sighed as walked next to Makarov who was giggling to himself about feisty redheads. The crash mage sweat dropped at the master's behavior before coughing into his fist's to get his attention, "You know it's around that time of year that we announce the start of S-class promotional exam's. This year seem it seems it's going to be one bigger event then the other. Your sending them to Tenrou island, right?" Gildarts chuckled to himself just thinking about how fierce this year it was going to be as he watched both Natsu and Gajeel break out into using their fist's to do the talking. He smiled thinking back on the fire Dragon Slayer's progress.

It seemed it was just yesterday that he ran into a small pink haired little brat challenging him to fight only to be easily smacked away with a flick of his wrist. Then he would come back the next day to try again only fail once again before Natsu waited for him to come back from his next job to challenge him. Now, it seemed simply flicking or swatting the mage away was no longer an option as he began growing stronger every time he came back from a mission. Gildarts was forced to actually use his fist to knock Natsu out and he was having to resort to two hit's now. Hell, the boy had become strong enough to take on the guild master of the Oracion Seis by himself and come out on top. Time will only tell how strong Natsu would become.

Makarov hummed in thought about the little piece of information before shrugging it off and summoning another mug of booze to drink. "Meh, I've been thinking Gildarts." Makarov said as he sipped his beer while watching the Dragon Slayer's fight escalate into tearing apart the surrounding area. Nothing like fine entertainment and some booze to enjoy life. "So much has happened in such a short period of time that just dropping in the exams while most of our mage's are recovering from being turned into lacrima would only put too much stress on them. Not to mention Natsu's team has finally recovered enough to take missions and with the appearance of Lissana has brought happiness back into the guild. Celebrations are in order and announcing the exams will only stop the fun as everyone begins to get ready to show off their worth as a potential S-rank mage." the second Makarov announced the start of S-class promotional exams people like Natsu would drop everything their doing and rush over to the missions board to show their potential. The Dragon Slayer was still recovering from his nasty wounds dealt by what they told him was a machine capable of draining magic from the land and the body of dragon. No, announcing the exams right now was too soon. He needed his mages at top shape to prove to him they had what it takes to be an S-rank mage.

Gildarts frowned but understood. Everything was calm and joyful after the return from Edolas. No use ruining it with things like the exams making everyone competitive.

"So you're canceling the exams this year?" Gildarts asked in slight disappointment causing the master to roar with laughter.

"No,no, no! You heard me wrong my friend." the master laughed before wiping a tear from his eye from laughing so hard. "Right now, announcing the start of the exams would be a bad idea. Right now." he stressed before grimacing watching both Natsu and Gajeel take a shot at their groins only to both hit each other and fall on the ground in pain, "That's got to hurt. As I was saying, right now I'm holding back the S-rank promotional exams for maybe a week or two before starting it. Right now, it's like a little vacation time for my children to relax and have fun before getting serious. I'm sure you're going to be sticking by long enough for the exams. You are an obstacle this year." the old man chuckled.

A smirk adorned Gildarts face as he smacked his prosthetic fist against his palm. "You bet. I think a little rest and relaxation is just what the doctor ordered after my hundred year mission. Plus," he smiled as he watched Natsu weakly get up on his shaky knee's with his hands raised up in victory at his supposed win, "I have a feeling things are about to get interesting."

"Yes, they are." Makarov gently smiled before his face once again gained a look of seriousness. "I have also heard some rather unsettling rumors around the town about a man I had once thought dead these past few days." he said grimly.

"What? Really?" Gildarts said in alarm, "What have you heard?"

Makarov sighed rubbing his forehead feeling a sense of dread from what he heard, "It appears a man who once held the position as one of the Ten Wizard Saints back when I was young has risen. The man was Fifty-five when he retired and I was just fifteen at the time. It's safe to say he should be dead by now. The strange thing is, his grave has been digged up from his coffin from the looks of it. Now people suspect that he has risen since his body seemed to be missing. Now I don't really believe such silly rumors but whoever has dug up Loki Trella's body is up to no good. It wouldn't be safe to leave Magnolia while the grave digger is up to something."

"I see." the crash mage nodded scratching his chin in thought, "This is also another reason why you don't want to start the exams yet. We probably won't get started till the promblem is resolved, right?" he raised his brow questioningly.

"Right." Makarov nodded sternly, "Until everything is resolved, the S-class promotional trials will be held off until further notice."

Gildarts didn't like holding off the exams when everyone was excited to get ready to show off how much they have grown this past year, especially Natsu, but he understood. Thing's were probably about to get hectic around if someone had dug the body of a powerful mage to do who knows what with it. When he was done relaxing, Gildarts was going to make sure to stop whatever was about to happen to Magnolia so that the young mages in his guild could have the chance to prove themselves S-rank mages.

Hearing an odd gurgle from the Dragon Slayers both Makarov and Gildarts turned back to where Natsu and Gajeel were fighting only to sweat drop at seeing Natsu foam out his mouth before passing out with white eye's. They sighed before Gildarts undid his spell and rose the earth back to it's original spot before each grabbing one of the knocked out Dragon Slayers and proceeding to make their back to the guild.

Natsu may of said he was fine, but it appeared it was still too early for him to doing things like fighting while he was recovering. The idiot must of passed out from having one of his wounds opening up while he was fighting. Typical Natsu.

* * *

Far off from Magnolia, in the town of Oshibana, an odd train with an assortment of eerie circus tents and equipment made it's way to Magnolia.

Inside the train, in one of the tents of the train, a man shadowed by the darkness chuckled quietly to himself as he flipped a coin in his hand in the air.

The coin landed on a skull head's, causing the man to grin behind the white mask covering the entire part of his face and head with two eye holes revealing the complete white of his eye's which glowed eerily in the darkness.

"Magnolia it is." he said in a clownish voice before looking out the window of his room to look out at the stars with a wispy smile, "My plans are almost complete. Soon, my Legion, you will bring in a new story I can't wait to star in."

The man laughed quietly to himself as the train speed off towards it's next destination. The smoke and roaring fire behind the train coming off from the town it just visited leaving an eerie glow as it disappeared into the night.

* * *

**Again, I'm sorry for the long wait. I'll try to type the next chapter to both of my stories whenever I have the chance.**

**Remember boys and girls, always look both ways when crossing the street or you'll end up as fucked up as your favorite shadow who's body is scarred from the inside. Let me tell you, getting run over hurts like a mother fucker. I do not recommend it.**

**Remeber to check out A Time Before Fairy Tails. Place in your thoughts on who should be in the harem. Besides Erza. She's already a sure thing don't worry. Be unique if you want. I already got one girl who's going to be introduce in the next chapter of the story who will be in the harem. Hint: She is in Fairy Tail but not yet in this time. Look around the story and try looking for a hint or two that will reveal who she is. Trust me, it's a shocker. And to make it a bit easier for you all, she was one of the girls in the the Tenrou arc. If you guess right, you'll get an earlier preview to the story arcs I have set up for A Time Before Fairy Tails.**

**Until then, Read and Review.**

**NeoShadows fading out.**


	8. Waving Emotions

**Hello ladies and gentlemen! Guess who?**

**. . . . No, not your mom. I know you were all thinking it. *sniff* People can be so cruel.**

**Anyways, no, I'm not dead if that's what any of you were thinking. I was half dead. Theirs a difference.**

**I'll explain in the AN if you're really interested for my three month absence. Just know that I'm alright now.**

**Now that I'm fully recovered, for real this time, I can get back to writing my stories. And boy does it look like I have a lot to make up for. I was suppose to of made a double chapter release but I was unfortunetlly too weak too write again.**

**Overdose. It is not a pleasant feeling.**

**I would like to thank all my loyal fans who have stuck by my stories though, especially the ones who have PMed me for an update. It means so much that you all care.**

**Alright, enough with all this sappy crap. Time to get to the story!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Fairy Tail. It it the property of Hiro Mashima. But can one really own an object or idea? Where's the love man?**

**. . . . . Wait, I just got a call from my lawyers. Apparently you can own anything and the love is located 20 degrees up our. . . we'll, I rather not say. I'm a gentlemen goddammit. **

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Chapter 8: Waving Emotions.

Natsu sighed boredly resting his head on one of the tables of the guild hall, waiting for something, anything, to happen.

It was a day after he had been told the consequences of eating his own fire by Gajeel and he was told not to take any missions till he got his magic back under control. In order for Natsu to be even walking around the guild he had two complex seals courtesy of Freed on his back to keep his magic power under control.

The sealing spell Freed had put on him was apparently called _**Tatchi Megami(Goddesses Touch)**_. A special spell made up of two complex magical runes that calmed the mage's magic energy down. It also caused said mage's energy to drop to the point where they wouldn't be able to throw around out their best spells. Also using any of his spells would quickly drain him of his magic reserves more then he liked. Even using _**Karyu no Tekken(Fire Dragon's Iron Fist)**_ wouldn't be as destructive as it usual was. His hands would be engulfed tiny flames that couldn't even burn through Gray's ice. And that sucked.

If the fact he couldn't take any missions till he was under control and the fact that his magic power was under lock and key, Makarov decided that the one who would help him control his unstable fire magic was the one and only Gajeel.

Natsu growled in annoyance at having Gajeel oversee his training. Over the next week the bastard wanted him following him over to a deep part of the forests surrounding Magnolia to work on his Dragon Force. The first step was to go into the Dragon Force state without any outside help. The first time he had even entered Dragon Force was the same as when he had thought both Erza and Knightwalker had died. He had ate something other then fire and went out of control with his power.

Jellal was lucky Natsu was still thinking about Erza's safety while he unlocked the final stage of a Dragon Slayer. Other wise he would of lost himself to the power boost and went ape shit all over the Tower of Heaven.

Gajeel had explained to him after he had woken up and been told he was to be trained under him that Dragon Force was the ultimate stage in being a Dragon Slayer. Their bodies basically became that of dragons while still keeping their human appearance. Besides being covered in dragon scales and eyes narrowing into a more dragon like appearance, their bodies looked normal. But the magical power they possessed was strong enough to take on even an S-rank mage like Erza.

That got Natsu to grin a little realizing he was slowly getting strong enough to take on Erza on equal ground. If he finished his training, he just might be able to beat the powerful scarlet haired mage the next time he challenged her to a fight. Hell, just might be able to impress the old man to promote him to S-class!

But until then, Natsu was going to have to suck it up and try not to kill Gajeel in their training later today. They would of started earlier, but the iron Dragon Slayer had gone off on a mission. Till then, Natsu was going to have to stay put and try not to cause any trouble.

The Dragon Slayer was slightly pissed off that he couldn't even go out to train by himself. The runes written over his back restrained him from using any magic of any kind, even using Mira's transformation magic wouldn't work as well. Not to mention the master forbid him from using any of his spells till Gajeel said it was okay. Damn bastards. When this was all over with he was going to burn them all into a fine crisp.

"Cheer up, Natsu!" Happy patted his hair with a grin on his face, sitting on top of his head with a half eaten fish, "Look at it this way, now we have tons of time to fish during the day, uninterrupted!" the blue Exceed said happily with sparkling eyes.

Natsu sighed, "I guess." he grumbled, drawing circles on the table.

Happy frowned watching his best friend not even act excited at the thought of one of their fun fishing trips. Even if he knew Natsu was going to have to train with Gajeel and not go on any missions till he got his magic back under control, it was weird for him not to care about fishing. It was their favorite sport. Even if Lucy said it wasn't really a sport, she was just jealous of all the fish they caught. Happy felt sorry for the blonde girl. At least he was kind enough to give her their last batch of fish.

Won't she be happy when she finds at least a dozen or so raw fish where she keeps her panties.

She's going to be sooooo happy.

Floating down off his head, Happy looked worriedly at Natsu, "Are you okay? You never react that way when were about to fish. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing buddy." Natsu weakly smiled, "It's just with all that's been going on since Edolas, I can't really do much. It sucks. I haven't even told our team about what happened. That and-wait a minute." he suddenly stopped as he looked at Happy suspiciously, "Who the hell said we were going fishing?"

"I did. And what say is law."

"Since when?"

"Since I could tell Erza that you gave away ten years of your life in an angry fit to fight a giant robot. How angry do you think she'll get?" the blue cat grinned mischievously.

"That's not fair! You can't use something I told you in private as black mail! Me and Lissana taught you better then that!"

"No, Lissana taught me better then that. You taught me how to fish, make fun of people, spy on their personal lives, and use their private life as black mail."

Natsu dropped his head on the table in defeat, lightly glaring at his best friend for black mailing him, "No fair, Happy. I taught you to use those skills against other people, not me! And besides, I didn't even teach those last two. It was Mira-chan when she use to be scary."

"Oh yeah! She taught me that when Mira use to be sexy, scary Mira. Now Mira is just sexy, cute Mira."

"Where you'd get that from?" Natsu asked in confusion.

"From you."

"Lies!"

"Not when your drunk."

"I'm never drunk!"

"You were when you challenged Cana into a drinking contest a year ago. She drank you under the table even though you were the only person to ever get her tipsy. You said a lot of funny things that night. The only reason you don't remember was because you said some rather lewd things along with the master that got you beaten unconscious by Erza."

"So that's why my head hurt like crap the next morning!" Natsu shouted in realization, "I always wondered how drinking could make me feel like I was beat up by some super strong monster. Turns out it was just Erza. Who knew?" Natsu shrugged before laying his head on his palm.

"Come on Natsu!" Happy whined, "Stop being Lucy when she doesn't have any money to pay the rent! Let's go do something! I want to at least catch one fish before you have to go training with Gajeel tomorrow."

"Let me guess." Natsu smirked, "You want to give the fish to Charlie."

"No. Not really." the pink Dragon Slayers head dropped back to the table in disbelief as Happy answered plainly, "I already gave four fish to her in the morning before coming back to the medic room in the guild where you were sleeping to wake you up. Did you know that Knightwalker likes to have staring contests while you're asleep? She gets really into it. I found her this morning staring at you so close that your noses were touching."

"Then why do you want to catch fish if you already have some?" it couldn't be that he gave the last of his fish away to Charlie again.

"I don't have anymore. A flying monkey stole my last six fish."

. . . . At least he was honest.

Ignoring the flying monkey comment, Natsu face lite up at the mention of his new friend, "That reminds me, what happened to Knightwalker? Did she join the guild yet?" he asked as he looked all around the guild to look for mop of scarlet hair in an elegant knot in the crowd of mages.

Happy nodded his head, going back to gnawing at his half eaten fish, "Yup. After you were kidnapped by Gildarts and Gajeel and we realized that a trial wouldn't save you, Erza tried to convince Knightwalker to join the guild while you were away. It was hard with her wanting you to be their before she joined, but Erza promised her twin that she could join our team as soon as she joined. Now we have two sexy redheads on our team that can splatter our enemies blood on the battlefield."

Natsu grinned excitedly at the news of having another strong member to his team. Now they would be invincible! With the strong mages making up his team they could take on even more dangerous missions with higher pay!

"Yup. With another deadly scarlet to our team nothing can stop us now from taking over the world!"

"Right! Now nothing can stop us from taking over the-wait. . . What? Who said we were taking over the world, Happy?" Natsu asked wearily, looking down at his evilly grinning best friend as he laughed like a cheesy villain. Sometimes he was sure he may of rubbed off a little too much on the Exceed.

"Mwuhahahaha! Now we can take over the seas and eat as many fish as I want! Nothing can stop me now!"

A sharp slap to the blue cat's head soon followed.

"Geez." Lucy sighed sitting besides the Exceed rubbing his head in pain as the rest of their group came to sit down with Natsu with both scarlet haired beauties taking a seat right next to him. "We're gone for a few minutes and already Happy's planning world domination. Why can't you be like Charlie and Pantherlily, at least their normal."

"Wah! Natsu, Lucy's bullying me!" cried Happy running over to his friend with bump on his head.

Natsu glared at the stellar spirit mage as he held the crying cat, "Why are you picking on him Lucy? What the hell did he ever do to you?"

"What didn't he do is what you should be asking!" Lucy shouted bonking the Dragon Slayer on the head for raising a trouble making, panty stealing, fish obsessed cat. "By the way, I found the stupid cat's present he left me in my house this morning while I was getting ready. Who hides their raw fish where my 'unmentionables' are? I'm lucky I had an extra pair somewhere else or I'd be smelling like fish where you shouldn't smell fish!" she growled menacingly at the cowering duo, an embarrassed blush spreading across her face. Weak Lucy may be when it came to physical strength, but when you ticked her off enough even she could be a menace worth fearing.

You'd think they'd get it by now.

"Wait!" Gray cut in, stopping Lucy before she could threaten Natsu and Happy with more physical violence, ". . . Since when did you start wearing frilly panties?" he scratched his head in confusion looking at her skirt as she was bent over the table to smack Natsu's and Happy's head, her skirt lifted up enough for the ice mage to get a peek at her 'unmentionables'. Lucy's face turned red in a mix of embarrassment and anger as her head slowly turned to look at Gray while he was busy in his thinking pose, "You strike me as more of the kind that would wear cute panties with hearts and flowers decorated all over them. Not the type that would wear such skimpy panties." he shook his head in disappointment, "I'm really disappointed in you Lucy."

"I'm disappointed that you're peeking!" she roared, sending Gray falling off his seat with a kick to the face that caused Natsu to laugh before he was grabbed by the scruff of his scarf and sent falling back with Gray. "Don't think I forgot about you! Why did I find half the food in my home burned into a fine crisp? I thought I told you three times already that I don't like my fruits tasting like charcoal!" she tapped her foot at the two mages trembling before her wrath impatiently, waiting for an answer, "How the hell did you even get into my house? You were out cold since yesterday after talking to the master and I only found out that you were awake because Mira-chan told me when I walked into the guild in the morning. Did you sleep walk or something?"

"I don't remember anything, but I blame Gray either way." Natsu answered plainly getting another smack to the head.

Natsu and Gray suddenly flinched as the sound of a sharp crack of a whip echoed inside their ears, looking up at the usual sunny faced blonde they felt themselves cower in fear of the sugary sweet smile on her face and the black devil tailed whip in her hands.

"I think it's time I have to teach you two a hard, _painful_ lesson in peeking and burning my stuff." Lucy cracked her whip one more time getting the two gulp and sweat in fear of the scary blonde.

_'Holy crap! Since when was Lucy this scary?'_ The last time Natsu saw Lucy this scary was when he had accidentally barged into her bathroom for random reasons he couldn't remember and caught her without her towel. It didn't help that Happy was also there and had called her ugly while closing his eyes and rambling 'my eyes! They burn!'. Needless to say, he had his ass handed to him.

_'. . . Why do I find this hot?'_ Gray stopped to think for a moment as the image of Lucy in a sexy black dominatrix outfit entered his mind, the sharp crack of her whip and the revealing black outfit put together with her deadly smile somehow turning him on. Gray definitely had some strange turn on's.

Not a second sooner both fire and ice mages were dragged away by one ticked off spirit mage. Their cries for help ignored by the entire guild, nobody wanting to get in the way of Lucy in fear of her almighty whip.

"That was. . . strange." Knightwalker blinked watching as the man who had invited her to Fairy Tail was dragged off to his doom. Somehow she felt that it would be a good idea not to get in the middle of what was about to happen. Who knew that the blonde with big knockers could be this scary.

Erza nodded her head in satisfaction at the direction of pained screams from inside the guild, her teachings already working on the sunny blonde.

"It won't be long now until they both fear her wrath." Erza sighed wistfully, her Edolas counterpart raising a curious brow at what she was saying, "Soon, Lucy will be able to keep those two in line with out my help." she chuckled.

"Sooooo, this was your doing." Knightwalker smirked.

Erza shrugged, "More or less." waiting for Mirajane to serve her strawberry cake that she had ordered a while back, Erza took the time to look over her counterpart. Now that they were back home in their own universe she had hoped things would return to normal.

She should of known that anything dealing with Natsu would not end normal.

Even though they had returned to Earthland safely, well, some of them, their little trip to Edolas had affected them in more ways then one. The Exceed had been sucked into their realm, Lissana had been brought back when they all thought she was dead, Natsu had underwent a drastic change in appearance, and Knightwalker had been brought back to Magnolia with them. How exactly she didn't know but if she really had to guess she would expect it was because of Natsu's scarf.

She frowned thinking back to the dark blood red glow emanating from his treasured scarf. Up until now, she had thought it was just a special scarf Natsu's adoptive father had given him. A plain old white scaled scarf with nothing but sentimental value to it.

Who would of thought it would have been capable of dragging another person into another universe.

Knightwalker smirked seeing her rival stare at her with a frown, "What's wrong Scarlet? Worried that it won't be long now till I've got Natsu wrapped around my little finger?" she said confidently.

Erza sighed in annoyance dropping her head on the wooden table with a thump. Knightwalker smirked again thinking she was slowly taking down one of her rivals in love. It wouldn't be long now till she had gotten rid of all of her competition for her favorite pink haired mage.

"For the last time Knightwalker, we are not in competition for Natsu's love." Erza growled, raising her head back up to level a small glare to the ex-fairy hunter, "I don't even like him like that. He's my nakama. That's it." she said sternly.

Knightwalker wasn't convinced.

"Hmph! If you didn't have any feelings for my precious Natsu, you wouldn't be standing in my way now would you?" she closed her eyes smugly with a smirk.

Erza resisted the urge to requip one of her buster swords and show Knightwalker why she was the most feared female mage in Magnolia and Fiore.

No one in the guild had ever annoyed her to the point where she would lose her cool since back in the day when she and Mirajane were rivals. Erza wasn't that use to getting teased about her romantic feelings. Not even Mira had ever done anything like that. Mostly because they both weren't really interested in boys when they were kids.

Now though, as her feelings for Natsu had started to recently grow beyond the point of friendship, Erza was finally starting to feel like the girl that she was. And Knightwalker wasn't helping.

The almighty S-class Titania was in a conundrum. She really had no clue just how far her feelings for Natsu went. Love was really never her strongest forte. After your childhood crush betrays you, sends you away with the threat of killing your friends, turning said friends against you, and waiting a few years later to kidnap you for his plan of a perfect utopia, it was safe to say it was difficult to understand love.

She sighed, patiently waiting for Mira to serve her favorite strawberry cake while fighting off the urge to cause a scene with Knightwalker as the victim.

She would just to take a closer look at her feelings for Natsu at another time. Right now she needed some peace.

"Here you go Erza!" Mira smiled handing Erza her long awaited little slice of heaven on a plate. She giggled watching as a twinkle lite up the stern knight's eye's at the sight of her strawberry cake. It was always amazing how such a simple treat could reduce one of Fairy Tail's strongest into child.

Turning to the other scarlet haired women, Mira winked hiding Knightwalker's dessert behind her back.

"Don't think I forgot about you, Knightwalker-chan! I made this cake just for you!"

Knightwalker raised a skeptical brow at the bar maid's cheery expression. She didn't recall ordering anything from the bar.

"I don't mean to sound rude Mira-san, but I don't remember having ordered anything from you." Knightwalker said skeptically.

"Don't worry, Knightwalker-chan! Consider this a welcoming gift for joining Fairy Tail!" moving the dessert for Knightwalker to see, Mira couldn't conceal the grin on her face hearing the scarlet gasp in surprise.

"What is it?" Erza asked in confusion looking away from eating her delicious treat to look over Knightwalker's shoulder.

Knightwalker held the plate of cake gingerly in hand, slightly drooling at the wonder she held.

"It's-it's-it's. . ." she stuttered.

"Blueberry cake?" Erza said in surprise.

Smooth vanilla icing, soft, fluffy bread, blueberry filling, and three neatly assorted blueberry's decorated in a beautiful fruity bud. The sweat fluffy treat was enough to reduce Edolas's most fearsome warrior into a star eyed drooling mess with it's sight alone.

"How did you know?" Knightwalker whispered in awe as Mira couldn't help but giggle at the cute sight.

Tapping her cheek, Mira smirked as she looked between the two scarlet's, "Well, I noticed while you two look completely alike and seem to have the same personality, you two are complete opposites. It would only make sense that while Erza love strawberry's that you would love blueberry's instead! It's all simple logic really." she nodded. Simple logic indeed.

"So you guessed that Knightwalker would love blueberry cake because it's the complete opposite of my strawberry?" Erza thought in interest getting another nod from the perky mage.

"Yup! I mean, look at her." Mira smiled gesturing to Knightwalker as she carefully took a small bite out of her cake.

Knightwalker moaned in delight tasting the sweat blueberry filling as the cake melted in her mouth. It was absolutely divine. The fruity taste, the fluffy bread, the tasty icing, and of course the blueberries. She shivered getting goosebumps trying to describe the taste of it all. The beautiful bar maid certainly knew how to create an amazing cake.

She licked her lips swallowing it down before looking at Mira in a new light.

"That was simply divine Mira-san." Knightwalker breathed with starry eyes.

"Oh stop! You're making me blush." Mira smiled with a lite blush as she took a seat next to the twin scarlet haired women. Watching as they both dug into their cake, she couldn't help but shake her head in wonder at how similar the two were.

It was shocker to everyone once they had gotten over their beloved Lissana's return who they had thought was dead that their were two Erza's now. Just the thought of their being two of the beautiful yet deadly scarlet was enough destroy the mind. They were lucky that the news of the Erza's hadn't spread around Magnolia, their would have been a mass panic of both fear and fans.

It was going to be difficult getting use seeing double scarlet around the guild but they'd get use to it. It looked like Knightwalker was already joined a team that would help her get situated into her new home.

Mira just hoped that the new addition to Team Natsu wouldn't cause any more destruction to their teams demolition record. They already had enough trouble with the Council as it was.

Deciding to shake away the thoughts of incoming destruction to the guild, Mirajane decided to get to know the scarlet haired spearwomen. "So Knightwalker, where are you going to be staying now that Natsu's all better." she asked while taking out a plate of her favorite dessert, kuzumochi to eat along with her friends.

Knightwalker had insisted, or more along stated, that she would be staying in one of the spare rooms in the guild while Natsu recovered so that she wouldn't be far from the man that had changed her life. And it was hard to say no when the redhead held a very rusty looking blade in her hand to try and stop anyone foolish enough to drag her away from her Dragon Slayer.

Now that he was better, Mirajane could only imagine where she would stay next.

Knightwalker snorted amusingly at the barmaids question, "Isn't it obvious, Mira-san? I'll of course be bedding with Natsu seeing as he is rightfully mine. Where else would I stay?" she smirked.

It was at this moment Erza began to choke on her cake in shock.

"Really?" Mira tilted her head cutely, "I never knew you and Natsu where that close that you two already decided living together. You two must of really connected back in that other world of yours." she giggled, "And here I thought Natsu was as dense as a rock when it came to women."

Erza slammed her fist on the table aiming an irritated glare at her twin. Oh hell no! Their was no way in hell that her twin was going anywhere near Natsu's place! She felt her eye twitch at the thought. It was indecent especially with the fact that she looked just like her. As if she didn't have enough problems with her feelings for the rose haired boy.

"You will not be staying with Natsu, Knightwalker. It's-it's-it's wrong!" she shouted, blushing madly. Her mind was unfortunately going into the gutter again. Damn those slightly dirty books Levy lent her. They were seriously twisting her mind.

"You will be staying in my lodgings until you've decided to find a place of your own. I'm sure I can clear away one of my extra rooms full of armor to make enough room for you."

Knightwalker, surprisingly, didn't seem to appreciate the kind offer Erza offered her. Wonder why?

"I'm sorry, Scarlet. But I think I'll just stay with Natsu instead." Knightwalker smiled sweetly with a dark aura, "But I do appreciate the offer."

Erza returned the expression.

"I insist, Knightwalker." Erza smiled back, grinding her teeth. She should of known that convincing Knightwalker to stay at her place would be more trouble then she thought.

The two Erzas glared at each other, lighting sparking between the two. It was obviouse they weren't going to back down from another.

Mira sighed. This problem wasn't going to resolve itself without some damage to the guild. The master was not going to be happy about this.

"Why don't you two ask Natsu if it's alright with him for Knightwalker to stay at his place." Mira suggested hoping to stop them before they made a mess in the guild.

Erza thought about it for a moment. Knowing Natsu he might just agree with her. Every man needed his space. But then again, knowing Knightwalker, she would somehow find a way to convince Natsu to let her stay at his place. That damn women.

"I guess that is the best solution for our little predicament." Erza grudgingly relented, backing down from her stare off with Knightwalker. Taking a sip of her green sweet tea, Erza tried to think of how to ask him the question.

"We could ask him to accompany us Scarlet, while we run some errands." Knightwalker hummed in thought, "We were going to stop by that blacksmith currently working on my new magic spear. He could join us."

"That's not a bad idea. We can ask him while we're out. And it has been a while since I went out with Natsu without our team with us. It could give me the perfect chance to ask him why he's not doing any missions for while." Erza frowned.

It hadn't gone unnoticed by the Titania that something was going on with Natsu since Edolas. Early in the morning when they all met with Natsu in the guild, Lucy had suggested to go out for a mission now that he was better. It was that time of the month again. Rent was due and she needed money now.

So it came to a shock to everyone when Natsu turned down the offer of a mission involving hunting down some rouge mages near Mt. Hakobe. Most thought it was a sign of the end of the world. It was mind boggling.

His excuse for turning down the mission was that he was still sore from his fight with Doroma Animu even though it had been nearly a week since he was healed by both Porlyusica and Wendy. No one bought it, but decided to ignore the excuse. He probably wanted some time off after coming half dead from Edolas.

But Erza didn't buy it. She could tell that something was wrong with the fire Dragon Slayer. It was in his eyes. And she knew that Natsu would never turn down a mission when it could help his friend out. Even if he was ill or heavily injured, he would do whatever it took to help out his nakama.

She sighed. He helped them with all their problems, so why couldn't he let them help him?

"Sounds great!" Mira smiled before winking at both scarlet haired mages, "It'll be like a date between you three. How romantic." she giggled.

Both Erza and Knightwalker froze. _'Date? With Natsu?'_ they both thought with matching blushes. Stuck in their own fantasies of a date with the rose haired Dragon Slayer they didn't notice the object of their affections weakly crawling back from his beating dealt by Lucy.

Natsu shuddered. He really had to start thinking twice about messing with the blonde. She wasn't an amateur mage anymore. She was working her way to their level now. How terrifying.

Picking himself back up, Natsu sat next to Mira, quirking a brow at the odd expressions on both scarlets.

"What's wrong with them?" Natsu asked in confusion.

"Oh their just daydreaming." Mira answered with a smile, "So how are you doing Natsu? Finally recovered from your little trip to Edolas?"

Natsu frowned lightly. Of course he was alright. He was back to a hundred percent thanks to Wendy and her healing magic. But until he recovered his magic power back into stability, he was going to have play the part. It was the only way he was going to be able to get out doing missions with his team without them finding out about the side affects of his transformation.

"I'm feeling a little bit better thanks to Wendy." Natsu said nervously, scratching at the bandages around his neck, "But apparently nearly getting stabbed through by that metal piece of junk's sharp fingers is something Wendy's magic still can't completely heal. She said I was lucky that Faust had missed some of my organs or I wouldn't even be sitting right next to you guys." he joked.

Mira frowned, "That's not funny Natsu. We were all worried sick about you when your team brought you into the guild." she looked down sadly thinking back to when he was brought in, "You looked very sick and the wound on your abdomen was bleeding heavily. Your lucky Porlyusica had stopped by the guild to talk with the master about something important or you would have been bedridden for more then a few days. Even with finding out you had brought back Lissana with you, I was still worried about you."

"But I'm grateful in the end." Mira said happily, looking back at Natsu with a soft smile, "You're alright, if not a little banged up and Lissana's back. And it's all thanks to you and your team."

Natsu couldn't help but frown. Worrying his friends was the last thing he ever wanted. He had trained long hours of the day to get stronger, to protect his friends, and to prove to everyone that he was worthy of becoming an S-class mage.

And now he had the power. Only it was more of a burden then a strength.

Sighing, Natsu scratched his head feeling ashamed for worrying Mira. She was definitely the last person he wanted to worry. Both her and Erza had always mothered him since he had joined the guild. Sometimes it could be annoying having them treating him like a kid but, that was just how they were. He couldn't never stay mad at them.

"You don't have to thank me Mira, we were just lucky that the Anima dragged Lissana with us when we returned home. Although, even though she told me and Happy that she wasn't our Lissana, something inside me was telling me that she was lying. I guess I should start following my gut more often." he chuckled embarrassingly.

. . . Dear god. Did that mean that all those other times he had caused destruction meant that he was actually following his head? God knows what sort of chaos he could bring if he followed his gut. The bill would be enormous.

"Aye!" Happy chirped making his way back from watching Lucy punish Gray, the two following the Exceed with Lucy dragging the Ice-Make mage.

"She really had us fooled. When me and Natsu first saw her, we tried running towards her to give her a hug but Scary Edolas Lucy kicked Natsu in the face."

"Oh yeah! I remember that." Natsu nodded, turning towards Lucy while holding his cheek, "That really hurt Lucy."

"That wasn't me you idiot!" she shouted in annoyance.

Weakly picking himself back up from his beating, Gray looked curiously at Mira, "Where is Lissana anyways? I thought she'd be all over the guild now that she was back."

"She's with Elfman right now." she answered, smiling a bit sadly, "He went off on a mission with her yesterday to spend some time with her. After all, he spent the last two years blaming himself for her death. It's only right that he has some time to spend with her to get over the incident." she shook her head, smiling brightly with a small sparkle in her blue eyes, "Who knows? By the time they both come back, they just might be stronger then ever. Elfman might just be able to gain complete control over his Beast Soul and Lissana will work out the rust in Animal Soul after two years of not using it. Maybe Elfman might make S-class material when he comes back." she winked.

Natsu smirked, "He'll have to get in line. Because this time, I'm going to become an S-class mage!" he roared, breathing fire in the air while dancing on the table, "This year I'm going to show the old man what I'm made of and take out anyone who get's in my way!"

"Aye!" Happy cheered, joining his fire breathing friend in dancing.

Watching his rival dance around like an idiot, Gray scoffed, "Don't kid yourself, Flamebrain. If anyone's worthy of becoming S-class it's me." he smirked, "After all, I am the strongest."

A kick to Gray's head soon followed.

"What the hell's your problem, dumb-ass!?" Gray shouted having been kicked to another table. Bastard, he was so going to pay for that.

"Gray," Lucy sighed in embarrassment, "your clothes."

"Who cares about that! I was just assaulted by a dumb, wild animal!"

"Who the hell are you calling a dung mild animal, you poor excuse for a male stripper!?"

Gray and Natsu butted heads in anger. An aura of fire and ice surrounding the two mages as they stared each other down.

"I said dumb, wild animal, Flame-pick! But that works just fine too! And unlike you, I came out alright from out from out trip to Edolas. I'm not the one standing around like a half mummy!"

"Shut up! These are manly scars! Your just jealous that I was fighting the king of Edolas and ended up on top while you were stuck fighting his lousy grunts!"

Mira and Lucy continued to watch the two mages argue who were unaware that Erza was sitting near them.

"Should they really be fighting?" Lucy sweat-dropped, "Erza's right next to us. Not to mention Knightwalker. They would be both be dead by now if they noticed." speaking of which, why wasn't Erza paying attention? She usually stopped them when they looked they were about to get into a fight.

Mira giggled, pointing towards the two redheads still trapped in their own little fantasies, "I wouldn't worry about them. It looks their being entertained by their own little imaginations. I wonder what their thinking about?" she tapped her cheek in thought.

That was definitely interesting. Lucy looked at the two powerful female mages, both glazed eyed in their own little dreamland. What was going on their head to cause them to get so spaced out? Were they dreaming about cake? It looked like they already finished their dessert but, that couldn't be it. The celestial spirit mage scratched her head in thought. This was going to drive her crazy till she found out.

And their was no way she was going to snap them out of their thoughts. Erza was scary when you angered her. Now their was basically two of her. The thought alone of snapping them out of their pleasant state was enough to send shivers down her spine. It was truly a terrifying thought.

Deciding that asking Mira was the best option, and probably the only option, Lucy turned to Mira.

"Do you know what might of caused them to go all goofy on us, Mira-chan? I've never really seen Erza like this. It' kinda freaking me out." she laughed nervously.

Mira shrugged innocently, "I don't know. All I said was that taking Natsu out with them while they went to check on Knightwalker-chan's new weapon was going to be like a romantic date."

"WHAT!?" Lucy shouted in shock. Turning back to the redheads, Lucy could only wonder what was going on inside their imaginations.

"Oh, Natsu~." both Erzas drawled affectionately.

Yeah, she was better off not knowing.

"AAAAHHHH!"

_***SMASH!***_

"You dirty son of a bitch! Who the hell throws an entire table of people!? You're so dead!"

"Bring it Snowballs! I'm not afraid of your pathetic ass! Fight me!"

"Fine! Die!"

"_**Karyu no Hoko(Fire Dragon's Roar)!**_"

"_**Aisu Meiku: Ukezara(Ice-Make: Saucer)**_!"

Lucy was helpless to watch as the next thing she knew, a madly spinning disk of ice blasted through the other half of the guild to pulverize through a small flame burping out of Natsu's mouth. Causing mad commotion and the usual rioting fights to break out.

Boom!

"Hah! What the hell was that? Your magic lost it's fire power, Natsu? That was nothing but a baby flame."

"*Cough* D-Damn you G-Gray!" Natsu coughed as he tried to get back up from taking the spell head on. Why did his magic have to be sapped at a time like this? Now Gray was going to hang this over his head for a long time.

Watching as the guild once again erupted into a magical battle royal, Lucy could only pray that the insanity of the guild didn't rub off on her.

Then again, it was just a normal day in Fairy Tail.

* * *

_(Later that day,Shopping Streets of Magnolia)_

"Why am I out shopping with you guy's?" Natsu yawned as he walked in the middle of Erza and Knightwalker down the streets of Magnolia with Happy riding shot gun on his head as usual. Both were dressed in their own casual clothing. Erza wore her regular clothes, a white frilly shirt and her blue skirt. While Knightwalker had on a black punk shirt revealing her belly button and blue jean shorts.

He was sadly dragged out of his fight with the ice jerk once both Erzas snapped out of whatever dreamland they were stranded on with minimal bruises and cuts on his person. Not from Gray of course. That loser could never leave a scratch on him! Unfortunately the same couldn't be said about the two redheads next to him. After breaking up the fight in the guild with their female wrath as Happy would call, they had both promptly dragged him out of the guild without so much as a word out of them.

He had of course chose to keep his mouth shut since Erza did catch him fighting with Gray and it didn't look like Knightwalker was too pleased about his fight either with everyone still thinking he was still too wounded to be causing trouble. It was better if he didn't say anything to upset them. Especially with the fact he was at his weakest point right now. Magic was a no go.

But after walking with the two for nearly thirty minutes and having Happy catch up with them, Natsu couldn't help but ask why they had dragged him with them to wherever it was they were going. They could of just left him back at the guild knocked out with Gray and the others.

Happy tsked at his pseudo father's question. Sometimes he wondered how he was able grow with a normal intellect when he was raised by an idiot like Natsu.

"Isn't it obvious, Natsu?" Happy grinned, "They're obviously taking us out for fish! What other possible reason could their be?"

. . . . The apple never falls far from the tree. Or in this case, the Exceed never falls far from the Dragon Slayer.

Erza shook her head amusingly at the two's antics as Natsu nodded with a look of awe at his friend's intelligent answer. It never got old with those two.

"Sorry to burst your bubbles you two but, we're not going out for fish." Erza smiled softly, watching as Natsu and Happy slumped in disappointment. Those two did love their fish.

"Then where are we going?" they both whined.

Knightwalker patted the rose head's right cheek fondly, finding his pout adorable. "We're going out to to see if my new spear is ready. I can't be joining your guild without some way of performing magic." she chuckled, pinching his cheek a moment later.

"I can't be relying on you to same my ass while I live you all in Earthland. I have my pride as an ex-captain to think off. And I also don't want to be a burden to you of all people."

Natsu frowned while being pinched, "You wouldn't be a burden, Knightwalker. You're my friend. If anything, you're one of the reasons why I fight for my guild." he grinned honestly.

He would never consider his nakama as burdens. They were what made him whole. Without the guild and all his friends, he didn't know what kind of person he would of turned out as. They were his strength. Just like he was theirs.

Knightwalker blushed, "You're so sweet Natsu." she gushed suddenly hugging the Dragon Slayer to her ample chest.

"I think she liiiiikkkeess him." Happy giggled as he flew around their heads.

"Yes, yes, we all like Natsu." Erza sighed as she pulled the suffocating Natsu from Knightwalker's chest. She ignored the glare sent at her from her twin and patted the rose head's back as he tried to suck in gulps of air to replace the ones he lost in Knightwalker's heavenly pillows.

Happy gasped, looking at Erza in shock, "You like him too!?" the flying blue cat nearly shouted causing Erza to blush furiously with her mouth dropping to the ground in shock.

"I KNEW IT!" Knightwalker roared, pulling back Natsu from Erza as she growled at Erza like an animal would to a stranger trying to snatch their treat, "I knew that no sane women would be resistible to my precious Natsu's charms! And here I thought I wouldn't have to kill you to have my man."

Erza felt a vein about to burst.

"Can we just skip the usual Natsu argument this time Knightwalker?" Erza sighed tiredly as she rubbed her head, "We have to meet with my blacksmith by noon to make some last minute adjustments to your spear to fit your fighting style. From the materials and Jewels I had to spend on the weapon you better be really appreciative for helping you out."

While she still didn't trust Erza, Knightwalker nodded thanks for her help. ". . . . Natsu's still mine you know." she said blankly with him in her arms.

"I'm so confused." Natsu groaned going limp in Knightwalker's arms. "I still don't know why you two are taking me with you or what Knightwalker means by saying she owns me." since when could anyone own him? Did Happy stick a sign on his back with a price number on it?

_'Only someone like you can be so dense towards Knightwalker's advances.'_ Erza thought amusingly as they made their way to the blacksmith. He was just like Gray when it came to the matter of love and girls. Totally oblivious. It made Erza laugh. They could be so different yet so alike they almost resembled brothers.

"Tell you what Natsu." Erza smiled, turning to look back at the bored Dragon Slayer being dragged around like a toy, "When we're finished with our little errand, we'll go out to eat. I'll make sure the place serves fish."

"Awesome!" both Natsu and Happy cheered, drooling just thinking about all the food they could order.

"You guy's can take me wherever! As long as I can get a meal out of it I don't care where you take me." he grinned with a sparkle in his eyes.

Both redheads smirked. Dragging the Dragon Slayer wherever they wanted was so easy it should have been considered a crime.

* * *

_(Late afternoon)_

"Man this is real good, huh Happy?"

"Aye! The salmon in this place is amazing!"

Watching as both Natsu and Happy devoured everything set on the table, the two deadly female mages couldn't help but stare in wonder. How was it physically possible to consume so much food without gaining a pound? Natsu's situation could at least be explained, but Happy's couldn't. Such a small body shouldn't be able to consume that much food.

Right now, they were all enjoining a lunch in a nearby restaurant after finishing up with Erza's errand in a small place called The Endless Cuisine. And from the looks of it they were going to be paying a large bill.

"I don't understand," Knightwalker said in complete awe as she watched Natsu clean a chicken to it's bone in less then a minute, "where does it all go?"

"Who knows?" Erza sighed, looking over the various food plates they had over, mentally doing the math on how much it was going to cost her. From the looks of it, it was going to cost her a mission's worth. "It's better not to question anything he does. You'll either never find the answer or you'd wish you'd never ask."

Gnawing on a red fish, Happy looked up at the counterpart of Erza with slight curiosity, his head titled as he stared at the redhead.

Knightwalker rose a brow at the cat, "Why are you looking at me Happy?" she asked.

"I don't know." he shrugged taking a bite out of his fish, "It's just you and Erza really do look like twins. You guy's could be sisters. Only you're the complete opposite of Erza."

"Really? How so?"

"Well for one, you're more rough then Erza. And you don't seem to embarrassed about who you like either. Not to mention you wear more sexy clothing then Erza." Happy answered wisely. "You also seem to be rebellious and dark in a weird hot way. But you look like you can also be nice too." he smiled, handing one of his fishes to Knightwalker who looked at it strangely, "Even though you came off as mean in Edolas, I like you. You don't seem to be scary."

"Since when can you read person's personality, Happy?" Natsu asked with a mouthful of food.

"I'm more then just a cute and adorable face you know." Happy grinned.

"Yeah, but now you're sounding like Lucy. Sounds like something she would say."

Happy's face morphed into one of horror.

"Oh no! Lucy's stupidity is contagious! Get it off me Natsu!" the little blue Exceed cried as he flew circles around Natsu's head.

Erza laughed as she watched Natsu try to stop whatever was chasing Happy around his head. Looking back to Knightwalker she couldn't help but smile softly as she saw the ex-captain of Edolas stare at the fish in her hands like it was some foreign object.

Happy was right. While they were different, they were alike in so many ways.

"It means he really does like you." Knightwalker flinched as she looked over to her counterpart to find her smiling amusingly at her. She almost forgot she was even their.

Turning back to look at the two idiots messing around across the table from them, Erza continued to smile. "I know that you're nervous about joining our guild after what happened in Edolas. It's understandable, we were enemies not long ago. But you shouldn't be worried about what happened back then might of already made up everyone's minds of what kind of person you are. People change. Whether it's for the good or bad." Erza gestured to the red salmon in Knightwalker's hand with a small chuckle, "Happy just doesn't give away fish to just anyone, you know. He only gives them to the people he likes, his friends."

_'His friends?'_ Knightwalker thought in slight shock. Did that mean. . .

Erza grinned, "You're his friend. Even though you may of caused him pain, even though you may have been the cause for his tears, even though you may had threaten to kill him and his friends, he considers you a friend. We all do." she said softly before poking her side with her elbow. She motioned to the fish with a cheerful smile, "So dig in. I'm sure Happy would be upset if you didn't accept his little gift."

Knightwalker felt a foreign feeling crawl up her chest as she looked down at the fish. It was warm and for some strange reason, she couldn't help but smile.

So this is what it felt like to have people who truly cared about you. Knightwalker's eyes gleamed with unshed tears she fought to hold back.

She was really starting to like the fact she had been dragged into this new world.

Watching out of the corner of his eye as Knightwalker took a bite out of Happy's smoked salmon with a smile, Natsu grinned, happy that the cold, cruel, and angry redhead he had saved from her own darkness was slowly listening to her heart.

_'I still have no idea how she was dragged into Earthland but, I'm glad she's here now. Although,'_ the image of giant red dragon with a scarred body, weathered wings, and stern onyx eyes popped into his head causing him to look up at the ceiling with a wistful smile, _'I wonder if you had any hand in bringing her into my world, Igneel.'_

One day. No matter how long it took, no matter how far it took him, no matter what he enemies he would have to face, one day, he would find him.

Erza frowned worriedly as she caught Natsu looking up the ceiling with a bittersweet smile, slightly gripping his father's scarf.

"Natsu." she called out, snapping the Dragon Slayer out and gaining his attention. He looked back at her in confusion as she looked at him in worry, "Are you alright? Is something the matter?"

Natsu mentally smacked himself for worrying Erza. Now wasn't the time to be reminiscing, it was time for chowing down! Sadness was never his thing anyway. It felt depressing being depressing. And it was no fun.

"No, nothing's wrong." he grinned before looking down at the various food plates scattered around their table, "But can we get some more food? Happy ate all the fish again."

* * *

_(Fairy Tail guild)_

Patting his now full belly with a content grin on his face, Natsu strolled his way back to the guild with Happy after parting with ways with Erza and Knightwalker. After finishing their meal and having to split the bill with Erza so that she wouldn't have to pay for all of it, the two friends had to say their good-byes to the redheads much to their displeasure.

They had wanted to hang our with the Dragon Slayer some more since it hadn't even turned dark yet couldn't since he had to meet with the master later that day. Natsu couldn't tell them why since it had to deal with his magic power being restored back to it's stable state so he made up a lie about the old man wanting to talk to him about his fight with Doroma Animu. While he hated lying to his friends, he had no choice. He couldn't have them knowing about his unstable state. He would only be worrying them.

Seeing as it had to do with the master, Erza understood and decided to take Knightwalker back to Fairy Hills to have her situated in one of her spare rooms. Both scarlets questions of his condition and if Knightwalker could stay with him unasked and forgotten in the fun of the day. Besides, either way Erza would of ended up dragging Knightwalker kicking and screaming back with her to Fairy Hills, regardless of Natsu's answer.

Waving goodbye to his friends, Natsu tried to hide the grimace of lying once again to his nakama. In the end it was for the best, he told himself. Hopefully everything could return to normal once he had gotten through his training with Gajeel.

Speaking of which, where was the nut headed idiot?

They would of already begun the first step to his training if he hadn't had to go off in a mission. Apparently the mission was vastly important to Natsu's own training. Completing it would help Gajeel obtain an important artifact that would help control Natsu's unstable magic power and find the source of his 'hate'.

Natsu had to scoff at the thought. Sure, he could get angry to the point of destroying everything around him in a mad rage but he could never hate anyone. They were usually beaten to a bloody pulp and couldn't put much of a fight anymore. No one had ever crossed the line with him to actually make him hate a person.

To hate someone was to want them dead. Hell, he was pretty sure he had never used the word with such conviction before. It wasn't like he had ever held a grudge against anyone before to want them to erase them from existence.

Seeing the guild entrance up ahead, Natsu quickly broke off into a sprint, a familiar scent awaiting him near it's gate. Speak of the devil.

"Hey, Gajeel!" Natsu shouted to the iron Dragon Slayer leaning against the entrance with eyes closed in thought. Hearing his name called, Gajeel smirked seeing the pink haired mage running back to the guild. Saved him a lot of trouble of finding the moron.

"About time you showed you up Natsu." catching an odd whiff of a combination of strawberries and blueberries as Natsu got closer, Gajeel quirked an eyebrow, "So mind telling me why you smell like Scarlet and Knightwalker? You're starting to smell like fruity burning shit." he grinned with a sneer.

"Shut the hell up Gajeel! I was out eating. I didn't know you would be back so soon. Wasn't your mission suppose to take all day?" he asked as he stopped his fellow dragon mage.

Gajeel frowned at the mention of his mission as they both made their way into the guild to meet with the master. "It's complicated. The mission wasn't suppose to be so easy. I barely did anything but show up to Hargeon and received the reward."

"That's it?" Natsu said in confusion, "No fighting? Sounds pretty boring to me."

"If you had seen the state Hargeon is in now you wouldn't be saying that." Gajeel grimaced thinking back to the mess he had seen when he had arrived. Too think it was such a nice port town before whatever had passed through was finished with the place.

Natsu froze along with Happy at what Gajeel just said about the all too familiar port town. Hargeon was where they had met Lucy, where Team Natsu was born. And from the way the iron Dragon Slayer had mentioned it, nothing good had happened to the town since the last time they visited.

"What happened to Hargeon?" Natsu's expression was shadowed by his spiky rose locks but Gajeel could feel the anger coming off if him.

He shook his head, "It's seen better days. Whatever could cause such destruction to the port town is best left alone till master Makarov can make of it. All I can tell you is that the civilians that had survived were lucky." glancing back at Natsu, Gajeel sighed seeing the fire mage show signs of losing his temper again. A slight hue of smoke wavered from the rose hair's body, his body shaking from trying to control his anger.

"Calm down lead head." Gajeel warned as he smacked Natsu on his head. Ignoring his glare, Gajeel steeled him with cold glare, "What did I tell you about controlling your anger? The more you fly off the handle, the more danger you're putting you and everyone in danger of losing control of your fire."

"If you haven't noticed yet fire is meant to reduce everything it touches to ash. It was never meant for anything else." he said bluntly.

Calming down, Natsu mentally cursed himself for losing control of his temper. Keeping cool was harder then he thought.

Noticing Natsu calm down, Gajeel continued with what he was saying before, "Anyway, I'll talk more about what happened in Hargeon when we meet up with the master. What's important is that I was finally able to attain the artifact he sent me out for that will help with your training." he grinned showing off a sphere object wrapped around purple velvet. "As soon as we finish talking about the details concerning my mission we'll be able to start discussing what you're going to be training tomorrow. With any luck, you'll be able to overcome the first step by the end of the day."

"Why wait till tomorrow?" Natsu grinned as he cracked his knuckles, "The sooner we start, the sooner I can get back to using my magic at full power."

Gajeel frowned. He didn't like the idea at all. The hardest part of attaining control of the taboo power that they both held was more difficult then the next steps. Especially for Natsu. It was going to be more difficult then fighting Doroma Anima.

"Because the training is going to take all day to finish. If we start when it starts to get dark you'll be physically and mentally exhausted by late morning. And trust me, you're not going to like what's in store for you."

Having passed the guild hall without the guild members noticing them, the Dragon Slayers made their way up to the masters room. Knocking onto the door the master greeted both mages and welcomed them in, making sure to lock the door so that no one would interrupt their discussion.

"It's good to see you boy's." Makarov smiled as he took a seat in his desk infront of the two. "I trust your mission to Hargeon was a success, Gajeel, seeing as you returned earlier then I anticipated."he said looking straight into his eyes.

Gajeel nodded sternly, "You could say that master."

That didn't sound positive. Makarov sighed. Why wasn't anything ever easy?

"Explain please." he asked while rubbing his head.

"Well," Gajeel began as he scratched his cheek, "the mission was to help free the client from some bandits who have been harassing him and his family for months out their money. The reward was 18,000 Jewels and the magical item _**Urami(Grudge)**_ for completing the mission. It was suppose to be an easy, simple mission for such a rare magic artifact." stopping to think back to when he had arrived to Hargeon, Gajeel couldn't help the scowl on his face remembering the destruction he had witnessed, "When I had arrived, half the town resembled a war zone. Smoke was billowing from everywhere, houses where torn apart, fire was burning everything, and people were lying in the rubble of the chaos. Half of them were dead when I arrived." he said stoicly as Makarov could only close his eyes and bow his head in respect for the poor lives lost.

Again, Natsu struggled to control the anger, the complete rage he was feeling from what he was hearing about the nice little town.

How could someone be so ruthless as to kill innocent people? No one had the right to take a life, not even their own.

Looking back up after taking a moment of silence, Makarov looked back at Gajeel with stone cold eyes that sent a shiver down the iron mage's back.

"Who caused the destruction to Hargeon." he muttered calmly.

"That's the thing, no one knows." tossing the wrapped package he had tucked under his arm to the master he began to explain, "Whatever had caused all that damage must have been capable of erasing everyone's memories. When I was running around the town to try and help the towns people look for survivors I was lucky to of found my client with his family. They were stuck under a collapsed building so I helped them out. When they were all out I tried to ask them who did all this only to get a blank stare. From the looks of it, whoever attacked them all had messed with their memories since they couldn't recall the last ten hours, just like the rest of the town."

"Memory magic?" Makarov guessed.

"Don't know." Gajeel sighed, "I've never really dealt with memory magic before so I have no clue. In the end, Prof. Domivio rewarded me for saving him and his family with **_Urami(Grudge)_**. I would of stayed to help look for more survivors but the Rune knights had ordered me to leave." he finished.

"I see." this was a dilemma. Who's to say that whoever attacked Hargeon wouldn't come after Magnolia next? The two towns were close and the fact that the rumors of Loki Trella's body being dug up and the recent report of Oshibana being attacked only solidified his guess.

Magnolia was most likely next.

Waiting for the master to say something, Natsu growled when all he got was a wave of a hand dismissing them from his room.

"We'll talk about the matter tomorrow. It's starting to get dark out side. For now we'll leave the matter as it is. We have to discuss what's in stores for Natsu tomorrow."

"Forget that!" Natsu roared, cracking the wall on his side with his fist. His eyes were wide in anger as he stared back at Master Makarov with barely suppressed rage, "I could careless about my training when people are dying! I can wait! Just let me go after the bastard who attacked Hargeon! I swear I'll sniff him out and beat him to a bloody pulp!"

"And you'll only end up like the rest of those poor souls who were powerless to save themselves. Dead." looking at the angered fire Dragon Slayer dead in the eye with his face shadowed.

"I see your anger Natsu and I acknowledge it. But that does not mean will allow you to chase after whoever caused so much destruction in such a short amount of time. You need to learn restraint. That has always been your weakness when dealing with such heavy matters, you always lose yourself to your emotions. You're lucky you haven't died because of your rash actions!" he shouted as he glared back at Natsu with the same anger pointed at him.

Makarov was getting tired of Natsu's reckless behavior. The past year he had been in more dangerous situations. And his recklessness in those situations had nearly gotten himself killed.

From fighting S-rank mages to eating forms of magic that were not his own, Natsu had come close to death too many times for his liking. He had already had to go through the grief of burying one of his children once, he didn't want go through it again.

And if it meant having to be harsh with the young dragon mage, then so be it.

Natsu continued to glare at the master before roughly turning away. He glanced back at the master with narrowed eyes before scoffing and leaving the room.

"And where do you think you're going young man?" Makarov called out just as Natsu stepped out of the room.

Natsu looked back to the old man with a deep frown before looking down, "I'm doing what Gajeel told me to do. Controlling my anger. Right now I need to blow off some steam to calm back down. I'll see you guy's in the morning to start my training." he answered through ground teeth before slamming the door shut.

The room went quite after the fire Dragon Slayer left, both mages sighing at Natsu's attitude.

"The idiot needs to learn to grow up." Gajeel scoffed, still not believing he was ever beaten by such a loose mage. "He's truly true to his magic. All power, no control."

Makarov nodded in understanding, "Yes, that may be true, but is it not better then to listen to ones heart then denying it of it's purpose. While Natsu's brash actions have nearly killed him, I can't say that neither of us would of done the same. He's just got to learn how to control his self."

"Heh. It must get tiring have to put up with all these reckless brats." Gajeel smirked smugly.

"Oh?" Makarov chuckled with a quirked brow, "You say that as if you aren't just as difficult to handle, Mr. I-destroyed-the-guild."

Gajeel grimaced. They weren't ever going to let that go.

"What's with that face? You know I'm just kidding."

"I know you are, but you guy's aren't ever going to forgive for destroying your home, are you?"

The third master closed his eyes in thought.

"Forgive is such a loose word. In reality, one does not forgive. We as humans hold grudges that can even surpass death itself. It's human nature not to forgive. But," smiled as he opened his eyes to look at Gajeel with grandfatherly eyes, "we do accept what has happened to cause us all grief and learn to move on. No matter how deep the scar, one learns to accept it and learns from it. Same as you, many of us have accepted the reality of how you destroyed the guild and have accepted it as the past. Now you are a Fairy Tail mage yourself. You are our comrade. We may even one day honestly forgive you for your past sins."

_'You guy's. . . are really something else.'_ Gajeel mentally smiled. Not a day had gone by yet that he had regretted accepting master Makarov's invitation to Fairy Tail. It was truly a one of a kind guild.

Who knows? Maybe one day he would be seen as a true member of Fairy Tail instead of the one who had destroyed it.

Noticing Gajeel return to his usual rough, smug self, Makarov went back to the original topic they were suppose to be talking about.

"So how do you think Natsu will tomorrow morning? Do you think he will be able to handle it?" he frowned worriedly.

"I don't know, shouldn't I be the one asking you that." he chuckled dryly before turning serious, "Honestly, I have no clue. I've seen Natsu pissed first hand. And I know how strong he can be. So it comes to my surprise that that wasn't him completely pissed. That was him furious. I can only imagine the kind of monster of a man that can cause him to openly have a grudge against them. That idiot can forgive even his enemies. So the guy that he must truly hate must be unforgivable to even Natsu. And that's saying something."

"Yes, he's not going to like meeting him. Even if it's not really him, Natsu will still be beyond anger. I can only hope Freed's runes will be able to hide the malice."

"Who is the guy anyways master?" the iron Dragon Slayer asked feeling curious.

"Hmph. He was a strong man before being locked up. He had caused deep scars to one of our mages that still haunt her to this day. And even after being considered a comrade by Natsu openly, he was the only person he had ever wished dead, even chasing him down during the Nirvana incident to erase him." Makarov deeply frowned in sadness.

"So? Who was he?"

"His name. . . was Jellal."

* * *

**Dun, dun, dun!**

**What has Jellal have to do with the first step to controlling Natsu's new power? And what is Urami(Grudge)? How are the two connected and how will it help Natsu with his anger?**

**I know~! But you all have to wait. Not as long as three months again. No way in hell am I taking that much time off again. Their is too much to do and so little time to do it all.**

**Anyway, if you are all wondering why I was out for three whole months, it's because I did nearly die during my hiatus.**

**You see, while I was getting my computer fixed so I can get back to writing and reading fanfiction, I did something really dumb to get me on the brink of death. Again. I was too embarrassed to say what I did in my message of my absence on my profile but, I'm over it now. Apparently, you are not suppose to drink two 250mg of large monster energy drinks without overdosing. Because that shit can kill you. Trust me people, watch your intake of caffeine, nearly dying of Monster overdose it not fun. It feels like death is slowly taking your damn life! And I should know. Me and that bastard have shook hands more time then I'd like.**

**The overdose left me weak and in bed with anxiety and a rapidly beating heart. I was left weak and could barely breath. My heart dropped to a dangerous bpm(beats per minute) and I was lucky to survive without going into cardiac arrest. After I recovered, which took a couple of days, I was sorta left depressed and just wasn't in the writing mood. Not to mention my hand was sprained too. **

**I'm a hundred percent better now thought, so I'm fine to get back into writing. Hell, if it wasn't for my sister hogging the laptop and school, I would of had this chapter finished sooner. I was suppose to of posted the new chapter yesterday but, I had to go to a party for my cousin.**

**So now that I'm back I'll get started on updating more often. Maybe every sunday like when I first started on this story. I got to get started on writing the fourth chapter of A Time Before Fairy Tails after I'm done updating. Both stories need to be made up for my lack of absence.**

**Again, I'm deeply sorry for not updating. I hope you all can forgive me for being an idiot and I hope you're all still reading. I promise not do something like this ever again. And please forgive any errors, I just want to get this chapter updated as fast as I can.**

**Oh! and please, don't forget to review! I got a lot of reviewing to do myself too.**

**Till next time, NeoShadows fading in and out!**


	9. Double Edged Memories

**What's up everyone? NeoShadows here with a new chapter of The Story of a Dragon, a Knight, and a Fairy Hunter.**

**To tell you the truth, I was actually planning on releasing this chapter as a double chapter release, but after seeing how A Time Before Fairy Tales didn't receive that much reviews after releasing two chapters in one day, I decided to just upload this chapter and finish the next one and upload that some other time. Don't worry though, I'm already 3,000 words in. And to let you all in as to why that's significant I don't release major story chapters unless they are above 10,000 words, it's my thing you know?**

**Oh, I'm also almost done with two humor based harem fics I've been working on. Purely humor as my attempt to build on my humor based writing. So wait awhile till I release them onto the internet.**

**And remember to review! Lazy bastards. I don't know whether to be proud I'm not the only lazy one out their or. . . . I don't know how to feel after that. Huh? All I feel is proudness.**

**Weird.**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Fairy Tail. They belong to Hiro Mashima. My hero.**

**I just thought of something. Do any of you pay attention to people on the internet when they warn you to not search blah and blah for the good of your innocence? Cause I'm pretty sure that's in the rules of the internet.**

***Shudders* So much tentacles and girls, I should of listened.**

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**Chapter 9: Double Edged Memories.**

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_(Early morning, Deep within Magnolia's forest)_

Cracking his neck which was feeling stiff from his night of sleeplessness, Natsu stretched his limbs to get ready for his first steps to his training. Right now, the fire Dragon Slayer was deep within Magnolia's forest, so deep that he was surprised that he had never found found the spot before. He was sure that he had explored every corner of the forest back when he was a kid looking for Igneel. So it came as a big surprise to Natsu when he had woken up to find himself lying in the middle of a large clearing. And now that he found this new cool spot he wouldn't even know how to come back if he wanted to train for himself.

The area he was in was a combination of a forest and a lake with a waterfall. Large rocks were spread out everywhere and bushes marked the area. The usual tree sprouted out from the ground with a couple of fallen logs spread around. The place seemed like a great training spot. If only he knew how he got there.

Those bastards had broke into his own home and kidnapped him when he had finally fallen asleep! Not a damn warning was given out as they had knocked him out in his sleep and proceeded to drag him out of his own home! Oh, and he knew they dragged him. The skid marks on his back and clothes were proof enough of how they kidnapped him. Even worse was the fact that they didn't even bring Happy with them. Poor little guy, he was probably worried where he went.

That or he went off flying for some fish to share with Carla and Pantherlily.

"So, mind telling me why you guy's are here?" Natsu sighed as he eyed the last two people he thought he would see while he trained with Gajeel to control his unstable magic.

Said unexpected guests were the one and only Freed and Bickslow.

Chewing on a couple of bolts and metal tiles he had grabbed before leaving his home, Gajeel sent his fellow Dragon Slayer what sounded like an obvious grunt before gulping down his snack. He stood back up dusting his clothes before pointing to Freed who seemed to be working on Runes around the area.

"The reason why both Freed and Bickslow are here is because I had asked the master to allow them to help me with controlling your berserk ass." he answered only to get a look of confusion from Natsu.

"Control me?" Natsu frowned confusingly as he looked back at Freed finishing the last of his runes and a grinning Bickslow. "Why would you need help controlling me? I'm perfectly fine right now. Sure, I was pissed at gramps for not taking action for what happened in Oshibana and Hargeon, but I'm fine now. I'm in complete control of magic right now." he scoffed to the side.

Gajeel nodded, "That's right. Right now you're in control. But I can't say you will be for long after we start with your training." he shook his head as Natsu grumbled to himself in annoyance.

Training this, training that. What exactly was his training? Both Gajeel and Makarov had been pushing for his training since coming back from Edolas and learning how exactly he had survived his solo clash with Doroma Animu. Apparently it was suppose to help him come to terms with his source of anger that made his flames so powerful.

Master Makarov had explained to him that his emotions greatly affected the strength of his flames due to his Dragon Slayer magic, his Flames of Emotion as he also liked to call it. It was how he was always able to come out on top of others no matter the situation. His rage was his most powerful weapon when combined with his fire, making him almost unstoppable. But, it was also said rage that had lately become a double edged sword.

Without Natsu even knowing it he'd been summoning incredibly strong flames around him whenever he had become angry. That was due to his anger, surprisingly being his strongest emotion tied to his mage. With his magic becoming incredibly potent and powerful his bodies magical container was unable to contain it all, causing it to become unstable.

Left out of control, Natsu would have to fear his own flames. Not for his well being, but for the friends around him. His flames would leak out of his body and burn the closing thing near him. Including his own friends. Almost like Gildart's own magic, Crash, only without the control.

Clenching his fists Natsu tried to suppress the sudden anger building up inside of him at his weakness to control his self. He had never found it this hard to control his anger before. The thought that he could transform into the same rampaging beast that had wrecked everything in sight in his fight with Faust both frightened and angered him. Igneel would be disappointed in him.

". . . What's the training." Natsu ground out, looking down with his hair shadowing his face. The sooner they started, the sooner he could stop fearing the safety of his friends from him.

"Freed, activate the Jutsu Shiki!" Purple runes lite up all around the area surrounding all four mages, trapping them within the writings barrier that spread a good mile and a half from where they standing, keeping all others out. Nodding thanks at the green haired mage, Gajeel turned his attention back to the puzzled fire mage before explaining, "In order for you to stabilize all that out of control magic bottled up inside of you, you have to release it all. That means going from full magic to zero. It's going to suck, with all the magic you're going to be losing you might end up sick after words until you're body replenishes the what you lost. And for you to lose it all, that means you're going to have to unleash everything that's bottled up, throwing around you're strongest spells at it's full potential." his slightly narrowed as his mouth became a thin line, "That means your spells are going to have to be meant to kill."

"What?!" Natsu shouted in shock as he looked at his friends in disbelief, "You can't be serious!? If that's all that it takes, then you guy's could of just let me go off on my own! You guy's can't be here if I'm going just going to go berserk and burn everything in sight into ash! I might kill you!"

Natsu's fire magic had the same properties as a dragon's breath. They could reduce anything it touches into nothing but fine ash in the wind. Knowing that, and the fact that his guild frowned upon killing, Natsu had always brought down the intensity of his fire magic enough that it would only badly burn his victims. He never raised up the heat in a fight, he only cared about beating them up not erasing them from the face of the planet.

What they were saying was just too much. He could melt metal with his hands alone without calling on a spell. Natsu didn't want to know what his Karyu no Hoko could do to a friends skin at it's full power. It was enough to make almost second guess the training he was about to go through.

"Their has to be some other way to start my training! You all know how dangerous my flames can be. You all don't have to be here if that's really the only way to control my magic." Natsu growled.

"You're right, flamebrain." Gajeel agreed, "But you won't be awake when you go berserk. Don't tell me you really thought it was as simple as that?" he scoffed at the thought, "You're going to be in a deep trance for the rest of the time as your body is consumed by the flames of your deepest emotion, anger and hate. I'm actually surprised that such a good guy such as yourself is full of so much anger." The idiot was the last person Gajeel would of taken as the angry type. But it did make sense considering fire was his natural affinity.

"Soooooo, you're telling me we're going to be fighting off Natsu while he's taking a nap?" Bickslow uttered slowly before turning towards his stoic friend Freed, ". . . . .Are you fucking kidding me!"

"Fucking kidding me! Fucking kidding me~!" his dolls sang, repeating their masters last words.

"I'd advise you not to scream in my ear, Bickslow." Freed sighed as he cleaned out his ear from the Siege mage's shouting, "While I too am not as happy about fighting our friend seriously, we have no choice if we want to help him control himself."

"Forget that! I don't care about fighting him, I could do that whenever I want by calling him a dumb-ass!"

"Oi! Who the hell are you calling a jackass, you freaky bastard?!"

"I said dumbass! Now shut up, the big boy's are talking!" Bickslow shouted back at the ticked off mage before turning back to his friend, "What I'm talking about is the fact that he could burn off an arm with his breath alone! I don't think my babies can stand that kind of heat." he whined as he and his dolls cried waterfall tears.

"Stop your babying." Gajeel yawned before slamming both his palms flowing azure sparks on the ground in front of him, "_Tetsuryu Seikei-hin: Korigan Tsume(Iron Dragon's Molding: Hard Working Claws)_!" Twisting his palms in a pulling motion from the earth, Gajeel rose up five large poles of shining silver around him. His fingers then morphed into gleaming iron claws that shined in the light before they blurred in front in well calculated motions around the iron he brought up. Done slashing at the iron, Gajeel snapped his claws before iron shattered in gleaming slices, revealing five of dolls similar to Bickslow's.

"Here." he grinned as he tossed one of the dolls towards Bickslow. Struggling to pick up the heavy iron totem doll, Bickslow sent a confused look at Gajeel, "Knowing how strong Natsu's flames are going to be, I took the time to work on making you dolls made out of my own iron. That way they'll be more resistant and be able to stand against the heat."

"Took the time?" Natsu snickered as the Siege mage cuddled his new dolls, "It only took you a few seconds! How is that taking your time? Don't flatter yourself."

Gajeel felt his eye twitch. "Oooh, I'm so going to enjoy kicking you ass while you're knocked out." he grinned evilly.

Ignoring the evil look Gajeel was sending him, Natsu looked back to Freed, "Mind telling me why you and Bickslow are here? Iron dork is trying to be all mysterious and the tongue sticking bastard is busy gushing over his new toy's."

"Certainly." Freed nodded before explaining what he knew, "From what Gajeel-san had briefed me and Bickslow in we will both be containing you within the rules of my Dark Ecriture's Jutsu Shiki for the remainder of your slumber or trance as Gajeel-san called it. Apparently both of us along with Gajeel-san are the best at keeping a rampaging beast from coming loose. With the rules of my spells barrier and Bickslow's Figure Eye's we'll be able to take control of you if you start to active your Dragon Rage."

"Dragon Rage?" Natsu frowned, "What's that?"

"It's the state when you morph into that out of control dragon from Edolas." Gajeel explained before the next moment he found himself staring down into the mad eye's of Natsu.

"Y-You didn't mention that I'd be turning into that _thing_ again!" Natsu stuttered in barely suppressed rage. As far away as they were from Magnolia, Natsu was sure that if he had turned back into that monster that he would tear a path of destruction towards his guild. He'd seen the war zone of a battlefield he had caused while in his dragon state. He didn't want to see that happen to Magnolia.

"That's only if you go nuts inside of your mind!" Gajeel shouted back. "I know what I'm doing, so shut your damn mouth for once! You won't straight out morph into a dragon again as long as you don't lose it while your in the Corridor of the Heart."

Calming down, Natsu frowned at the new word, "Corridor of the Heart? What's that?"

"I don't know." Gajeel shrugged while cleaning his ear with his pinky as Natsu's jaw dropped, "All master told me was that it was a structure created from your memories deep inside your heart."

"How the hell don't you know?! Didn't you say you had to go through the same shit as me since you ate your own iron?"

"When the hell did I ever say that I took the same training as you?" Gajeel shook his head, "Unlike you, I had a dragon help me with controlling my magic when I went berserk. Kanashimi(Sorrow) works similar to the spell Metalicana used on me when I was a kid, but in different way's considering I never achieved Dragon Force. Although Kanashimi isn't the name of the artifact we're going to be using on you, it's just one of its many names given by the monks who had created the thing. The thing has four spells to it's name, what they are I don't even know, but they're suppose to be tied with something called The Corridor of the Heart from what master Makarov told."

"So that's what that thing is for?" eying the odd object in Gajeel's hands, Natsu was curious why they even needed that thing if all he had to was spam his spells at their fullest. The artifact was a a blue clear orb with odd ruby line like runes running around it's shape. Other then the weird eye mark made out of what Natsu guessed was mirrors, it looked like a harmless looking ball. "What's it going to do to me?" he asked as he gazed at the orb.

"It's going to help you find the source of your power and whats making you go ballistic. When you were desperate enough to eat your own fire while fighting Doroma Animu a certain memory must of surfaced that caused you to perform the ultimate taboo as a trigger." setting the orb down, Gajeel instructed Natsu to sit down in a meditative state before continuing with his explanation, "That memory is the source of your anger. You have to face whatever grudge or hate the memory brought up to control your magic back into it's normal state. But, while you're dragged into the deepest corners of your mind, all the emotions you will begin to feel will play puppet master with your body. Once you begin fighting whatever it is that's pissing you off so much we'll have to prepare our selves when you go ape shit. The anger will wash over your body and tear apart the closest thing near you. That's why I brought out Freed and Bickslow with me instead of the master or Gildarts." he gestured to the two Thunder God Tribe mage's, "They're strong, strong enough not to completely ruin you when they fight back. If Gildarts fought you we'd risk the possibility that he'd have to get a bit serious to take you on and I can't promise that the battle wouldn't be felt from Fairy Tail. We can't be raising suspicion."

Natsu grit his teeth not liking what he was hearing. He had no idea how out of control he had gone when he had last lost it. From what he had seen from his bedside window in the hospital in Edolas, he had torn up the outside walls of the royal city. Smoke still wavered from its ruins and he could make out the faintest of flames still burning weakly from his dragon states fire magic.

But it was his only choice for that to never happen again. Natsu could only place his trust in his nakama that they could keep his subdued as he ventured within his mind.

"So, when are we starting?" Natsu sighed hoping he could go through the first step of his training as quick as possible.

"Right now."

"Wha-"

"_Tetsuryukon(Iron Dragon's Club)_!"

Black steel was the last thing Natsu saw before his consciousness lost him to the darkness.

Watching as the iron Dragon Slayer set Natsu up straight in a lotus position, Freed couldn't help but frown at the mage's rough handling of the pink haired mage.

"Was that really necessary?" he asked stoicly as Gajeel laid the blue orb on Natsu's lap.

"It was better to catch him by surprise. The more aware the caster is off what's going on, the more things can get bumpy when he starts to lose control." Cracking his knuckles as he backed away from his fellow dragon mage, Gajeel gestured both Freed and Bickslow to back away. What was going to happen next was going to be utter chaos.

Blue sparks slowly rose from the orb on Natsu's lap, lazily at first, growing stronger and wilder with every passing second before all three Fairy Tail mages were nearly blown off their feet as a roaring eruption of azure magic rose up from the knocked out fire mage. They shielded their eyes at the roar of magic flashing wildly around Natsu, not believing the force it produced as it rose high up into the sky like a shining beacon.

"What the hell is going on?!" Bickslow shouted in the roar of magic nearly overwhelming them all.

Gajeel grunted as he tried to keep his feet on the ground, having to resort to using his magic to pin his feet into the dirt, "This is all the magic energy stored inside Urami! It's amplifying Salamander's magic so that he can go all out! All we have to do right now is wait till it all calms down." he explained as he watched the blue sparks fade into a dark ruby color.

"Then what?" Freed shouted as he readied his rapier.

"We wait till shit goes down." In the roar of all the magic illuminating the forest they could faintly make out the strange flame like ancient text crawling up the rose haired mage's body, burning a dark blood red.

All in all, shit was going to go down pretty soon.

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_(Unknown)_

"Where the hell am I?" groaning as he rubbed his aching forehead with a quick curse to kill the iron headed idiot who hit him, Natsu blearily opened his eye's to total darkness.

It was literally complete darkness. Nothing but a black abyss greeted the Dragon Slayer as he found himself floating in a blank, dark world full of nothingness. He was surprised he was even able to see himself in all the blackness surrounding him.

Was this his mind? If it was, then that meant Gray was right. It was nothing but an empty void of nothing. Dammit! That frozen bastard. It was probably his fault that his mind was like this!

"Not much of a thinker, are ya kid?"

Natsu's eye's widened in alarm suddenly hearing an amusing voice taunt him. Struggling to move around in the darkness, Natsu followed the direction of the voice hoping to find an exit out of the dreary dark void he was stuck in.

"Oi! What the hell you say, you stupid voice!?" No way was he going to take that from some cocky sounding. . . . voice.

"Deaf too? My, my, my. Aren't you a piece of work." The voice laughed. Natsu could almost swear that it was grinning too.

_'It's coming from all around me.'_ The voice wasn't coming from one direction. It was almost like an echo. It was bouncing around from all corners of the void. Natsu frowned. Where the hell was he? No matter how dumb he may have been his mind wouldn't be so lifeless. Something was going on and he a sneaking suspicion that it had to do with whatever spell Gajeel had placed on him.

The Voice hummed in thought as it watched the rose haired boy look all around him with calculating eye's. Well, wasn't that a surprise. An idiot the boy may of seemed, but it looked like he had a brain inside that head of his.

Crossing his arms as he aimlessly floated around the void, Natsu looked up, or what he guessed was up, with a quirked brow. He might as well try to get some answers from the annoying voice. "Oi, bastard." he called out to the Voice, "What the hell's going on? And why can't I see you? You afraid or something?" he grinned wolfishly.

Laughter roared all around Natsu as the Voice tried to calm itself down. Oh, so we had a fighter in the midst? This was definitely going to be more entertaining then the last dull mage who had used its artifact. Monks were never really fun.

"What's so funny!?" Natsu shouted feeling annoyed with the disembodied entity.

Calming back down, Natsu could only imagine the the amused grin on the Voice's face as it spoke down to him, "Nothing. It's just, when you usually have to deal with peace loving holy men who have sworn an oath of none violence for hundreds of years, I tend to enjoy myself when an idiot such as yourself stumbles upon my favorite toy."

"I didn't stumble upon your 'toy' and I'm not an idiot." Natsu scoffed as he tried to glare at the Voice, "Gramp's made me have to go under Gajeel's training to control my magic and the screw headed bastard placed me under this thing."

"Oh?" the Voice sounded curious, "So, you don't seek Enlightenment?"

Natsu frowned in thought. "Enlightenment? Hmm, . . . nah, not really." he shook his head with a grin, "Why would I want to instantly know the meaning of life and love? Isn't it better to find out that kind of stuff with your friends and nakama?" he grinned widely.

The Voice was stunned into silence at the honest answer. If Natsu could see it's face he would've of seen the look of complete shock written on it's face.

Once again, the Voice roared in amused laughter as it didn't even try to hide it's amusement.

In all it's years of guarding it's spell from ignorant fools seeking the short cut to complete awareness, it had never heard such an answer before. It was even more shocked the idiot even knew what the word meant.

"You're one of a kind, kid." The Voice chuckled before the next thing Natsu knew a bright white ray of light blinded him.

Slowly opening his eye's back up, Natsu was surprised to suddenly find a pure white cathedral door with gothic glass staining appear out of nowhere a few feet away from him.

The Voice smirked, "Go on. From what I can tell you want to come to terms with something that has been gnawing at your heart for a while now. The first step to cleansing that dark grudge lies within this door in front of you. But," the Voice grinned mischievously, "you have to reach the door first. Think you can reach it?"

"Of course!" Natsu grinned back as his hands lite up with fire magic, "Don't take a Fairy Tail mage lightly!"

Flames roared to life as Natsu began shooting off towards the white door with his hands acting like thrusters that spewed large flames out from his palms.

It was almost too easy. If things were going to be as easy as right now, then he'd be done before lunch time. And here he thought this whole training crap was going to be difficult.

The rising black spike begged to differ.

Weaving through the arcing string of darkness, Natsu grit his teeth as he tried to escape the spiking tendril, "Don't tell me you thought it was that easy?" the Voice scoffed as Natsu found even more spikes of nothing rise up from the abyss to chase after him, "You're more fucking interesting then the last monk that entered my domain, I'll give you that, but that doesn't mean I'm just going to let you waltz through here without testing you a bit."

Twisting out of a loop of arcing tendrils that tried to pierce his back, Natsu tried glaring at the Voice, raising his right palm forward a moment later as more of the annoying nothing gathered into a ridged mouthed wave tearing towards him.

He swiped the fire clad hand at the black wave causing a line of explosions to rip apart the wave back into nothingness. Turning back to the direction of the doorway, Natsu nearly dropped his jaw in disbelief. Was it him, or did the doorway look closer a few moments ago?

"Your eye's aren't fooling ya." The Voice admitted as it snickered, "Again, don't tell me you thought it was that easy? In order to get through the door, you got to chase after it. But watch out," it roared with laughter, "if the razor sharp tendrils of darkness don't get you, then _it_ will."

"Fuck off!" Natsu roared at the Voice, snarling as ghoul looking faces of darkness rose up to capture him within their hold. They spiraled around the Dragon Slayer, hoping to crush him. But with a quick flare of fire magic they were reduced into ash.

That didn't stop the rest of it's friends to attack Natsu though.

Weaving through more of the sharp tendrils, Natsu had to improvise between using his hands as jets and vanishing the darkness with his flames. Burning down a towering pike in front of his way, Natsu nearly choked seeing the door distance itself farther away from him. That damn bastard just loved making things difficult.

A line of jawed spikes jutted out of the abyss from both sides of Natsu surprising him before they snapped at him like a wild animal. He sweated as the jaws chased after him, increasing the intensity of his flames to escape the nothing. If that wasn't bad enough, three more sets of jaws made of nothing erupted out of the darkness like wild dogs. They looped through each other as they tried to avoid the flames flowing from behind the rose haired mage, regenerating the parts that couldn't escape the flaming trail.

This was insane! It was like he was stuck inside some dark nightmare. No matter how many times he out ran the darkness it kept coming back. Even worse was the fact that no matter how close he came to reaching the white door it continued to escape his grasp. It was almost as if it had a mind of is own. The closer he came, the farther it backed away from him.

How the hell was this suppose to help him control his unstable magic?! All it was doing was pissing him off!

Sensing a large build up of magic from behind him, Natsu quickly veered off to his right side just a beam of purplish-black magic shot by him. He cursed as he bent his neck back a bit to watch as the snapping jaws opened their mouth to charge more magic.

"You want a piece of me, you stupid darkness!?" Natsu shouted angrily before coating his entire body with fire. Watching as they were about to fire off their combined shots of magic, Natsu began to rapidly spin himself till he resembled nothing but a flaming drill.

"_Mesturyu Ogi: Guren Rasenkenkaku(Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Crimson Lotus, Spiraling Sword Horn)_!"

Shooting off towards the three jaws of nothing in incredible speeds, Natsu met their conjoined beams of magic head on, easily piercing through the magic before vanishing into embers right in front of the jaws.

"_Keizoku-en(Continuation Flame)_," In blinding speeds, multiple holes blew up all around the black jaws in succession with flames crawling around the manipulated nothingness. If the Voice wasn't impressed before it was certainly impressed now.

Not stopping his spin, Natsu made quick work of the darkness before flying off as it blew up a moment later, the holes drilling through the jaws erupting with large flames, "_:Bakugo Neji(Detonation Screw)_!"

"Nice!" it chuckled as it watched Natsu fly off like a bullet towards the door. He was getting closer from what it could tell. "But," it snapped its fingers, causing the entire void to rumble as a towering pillar of black ooze rose up in front of the door. "I did say to watch out for it!" it shouted it with an almost mad tone.

The pillar soon began to take shape before it molded its self into a deformed monster. It had round saucer like eye's, a gaping mouth watering with black muck, four ooze like arms and a head that looked like it didn't even have a neck. It's body constantly jiggled, meaning it was made out of the black substance that was chasing after him.

"Beware of the darkness, dragon boy." the voice said stoicly as the being of black ooze raised up two of its arms at the speeding mage, "No matter how far you run, you can't escape it."

Natsu smirked. Whoever said he was running away?

Ducking under the powerful swinging arm, Natsu tore up through its body before getting enough distance above it to fall back and drill through it's ugly head. The being froze, it's mouth trembling at the pain it felt. It was helpless as the next thing it knew it erupted into a geyser of dragon flames.

Nothing stood in his way any longer as Natsu speed off towards the exit. With the eruption of his fire magic completely wiping out the monster it seemed that the tendrils of nothing finally got the picture.

You messed with the dragon and you got burned.

Natsu's flames dispersed as he stopped his constant spinning reaching the door. He held his head feeling dizzy from overusing his spell. Man, was that a ride. Natsu held his cheeks just thinking about the thought. Never compare spells to rides, it was never a pleasant thought.

"Safe!" he smirked in victory before pulling the hinges of the door open. Blinding light greeted the fire mage as he stepped through the radiant door, grinning slightly knowing he was coming closer to finishing the first step to training.

Silence filled the void before the Voice roared with laughter at what it had just saw.

"I think I'm going to enjoy myself this time. Natsu Dragneel, lets see what your memories have in store for you."

* * *

_(Unknown)_

"What is this place?" Natsu frowned in confusingly as he finally made it through the mysterious door. After making his way through he found himself standing in a long white hallway that seemed to stretch on forever, its designing looking like it was belonging inside the cathedral back in Magnolia. Stain glassed windows ran along the multiple doors of the hall with white plant vases placed on the sides. Bright light shined through the windows, bathing the hall in a warm, content light.

The place actually brought a small smile to Natsu's face as he closed his eye's in content. After finding himself in a dark void of nothing this place was a welcoming scene.

"Nice place, isn't it?" A voice right above him grinned.

"You!" puffing his cheeks to comical proportions, Natsu wasted no time with grilling the bastard who had sent those annoying spikes and monsters made of nothing into a tender crisp. Flames flooded from his mouth as he roared a large stream of dragon fire at the person above him. The hall glowed an orange-red tint as Natsu continued to bathe the bastard till nothing was left but flickering flames in its place.

He grinned in satisfaction before his senses screamed at him to move out of the way.

"_Kuro Akatsuki(Black Dawn)_."

Jumping back, Natsu was glad he had moved away in time to move away from the sparking black baseball sized orb that had shot at his back. The ground blew up in sphere of black sparking magic, spinning in place as it decimated the floor into fine dust.

The spell finally faded away, revealing the floor in fine shape. That was strange. He was sure he had seen chunks flying when the spell hit. Was this part of the spell?

"Nice reflexes." the voice hummed in thought.

Natsu growled, "Where the hell are you?" he seethed.

The voice grinned, "Look up."

Turning to look above, Natsu found a hooded figure standing on the ceiling. The figure wore a black midnight cloak with a skeletal looking zipper running down it. He wore black steel toed boots with what looked like small knives hanging from its sides. He also wore baggy black pants with silver chains wrapping along his sides and gloves that has steel plates. Natsu couldn't see the man's face too clearly, but he could guess he shaggy raven hair that spiked at the bottom with a scar running down chin. But what caught Natsu's attention more then all was the odd scythe tied to his back. The blade sickle of the scythe resembled a curved fanged moon with holes running along its blade. A chain was also attached to it's handle that went towards his shoulder where it circled around in a bundle.

"Yo." the man or teen from the sound of his young voice greeted nonchalantly with a salute, "What's up?"

Natsu gave the guy a deadpanned stare.

"You, you dark ass."

"Now that's not very nice, my ass is tan. Of course you'll never know, I sorta like my women as women. You know?" he chided with a smirk.

"I'm really starting to not like you."

"Meh, you're really the first person who had the utter gall to say something as rude as that. I really don't know if I should kill you or buy you a beer."

"I thought we were in my mind. I don't remember selling beer in here."

"Tch." the hooded figure scoffed, "Kill joy."

Natsu ignored the weird man choosing to look at towards the doors stretching through the endless hall. "So, where am I now?" he asked the man.

The specter shook his finger chidingly, "First of all, when meeting someone new you should introduce your self's to each other. It's common curtsy."

"Fine." Natsu sighed wanting to get this whole thing over with, "My name's Natsu Dragneel. Fire Dragon Slayer and mage of Fairy Tail. Now who the hell are you?"

The man chuckled as he dropped from the ceiling to land in front of the fire mage with a graceful bow, "I am known by many names, The New Shadow, The Dark Juggernaut, The Fanged Gentlemen, The Bringer of Dark Memories, and The Mime of the Shadows. But, you may call me Zeke Gagetsu." Zeke grinned widely.

"Zeke, huh?" Natsu nodded before gesturing to one of the doors at his side, "Cool, now mind telling me where I am? I'm tired of people juggling the answer to my questions."

Zeke nodded with a careless shrug. At least they wouldn't be beating around the bush anymore now that he passed his test.

Moving his hands over one of the doors, the scythe wielding man began to explain, "First of all, the place you just came out of, the dark, creepy void of nothingness was called The Origin. Whether people like you who bathe in the warm, comforting light like it or not, everything comes from darkness. Even the purest of things came from a dark, twisted beginning."

"That's a lie!" Natsu shouted in outrage, not liking how he was nonchalantly talking about the light like was once a sick evil, "How can light be bad?!"

"I never said that." sighed Zeke before nodding in thought a second later, "But, in a way, yeah, light can be evil." he grinned only to be pushed against one of the doors by a pissed Dragon Slayer.

"Temper, temper." he laughed.

Natsu had enough with the chilled back mage. Ever since he had heard the guy's annoying voice in the void he could this sense of cold neutrality from him. And it raised the hairs on the back of his neck. It was like he was bordering the line of good and evil. He didn't know whether or not to trust the mysterious man in his mind. One wrong step with him and he could be finding himself stuck in some nightmare.

"You're really annoying me." Natsu hissed in anger as he found himself flowing with flames all around him. "People like you really piss me off. I don't know whether or not to trust you and if I am dumb enough to trust you, you stab me in the back! Don't talk crap about the light that Fairy Tail bathes in! Even if we coat ourselves in more light then others it doesn't matter! That's our guild! If you can't change for the better, then you're better off dead!" he roared as his skin began to crawl with dragon scales.

"_Kyohi(Denial)_." Zeke smiled in a thin line as he rejected the rose haired boy in a black pulse of magic that threw him off.

Dusting himself as he gazed down at the grimacing boy, Zeke laid down his unique scythe across Natsu's neck as he looked back at him. Natsu froze at the feeling of the blade pressed against his jugular as the hooded mage tsked.

"Aren't you the sensitive type. So full of anger. No wonder you're a fire mage, it suits you." he taunted, "Stop being such a drama queen. You didn't even let me finish the rest of your question." he sighed, ignoring the weak glare from Natsu as his magic held him down. He crossed his arms as he turned away from the mage, "As I was saying, the void you were in was The Origin. Blah,blah, blah, birth place of everything breathing and moving, including you." he glanced back, mildly surprised as he watched Natsu fight through his gravity spell.

_'Hmph, one of a kind indeed.'_

"The place, or world, you're in now is known as The Station of Memories. An endless hall, pathway, corridor, whatever you people want to call it that harbors every thing that has made you, you."

_'Memories, huh?'_ Natsu thought as he picked himself back up from the odd spell. Whatever hit him must of finally wore off since he could stand back up right.

Was this suppose to help him find out the cause for his unusual anger and rage? Gajeel did say that it was a certain memory that brought him into the brink of desperation. Maybe he was suppose to use these doors to find the memory. But what was he suppose to do then? He couldn't just erase it. That would probably be impossible.

Maybe the jerk with the scythe knew what he was suppose to do. What other reason was there for him to be here while he tried to control his magic? He couldn't be some kind of guide. If he was, he was a pretty crappy one for trying to kill him.

Watching as he picked himself up, Zeke looked back at one of the doors with a content smile that slightly surprised Natsu. He didn't even know the guy could smile like a normal human being.

"Tell me, Natsu. Do you know what a memory is?"

"What?"

Zeke shook his head with an amused grin. "I don't mean the scientific definition of storing and processing information into a brain like an encoding. I'm talking about those moments, those memories, whether big or small, that can sometimes bring a tear to your eye in remembrance. Those moments that define you and make you into who you are, the person your family and friends love and trust with all their heart. The very things that even cause you grief and anguish to you even when you try to fight them. Do you know what your memories are to you?" he smiled towards Natsu.

"My memories?" Natsu said softly as he rested his hand towards his heart, suddenly fining himself deeply confused/

Why was he having a hard time coming up with an answer? He should of known the answer to that. But, for some weird reason he couldn't remember the answer to the question. It was like his head went blank at the what the other mage was saying.

_'What do my memories mean to me?'_ he gripped his head in frustration as Zeke shook his head in pity.

"Don't worry." he said softly before raising his palm straight at Natsu's chest. "You'll remember soon enough."

"_Kyohi(Denial)_."

Natsu didn't even fight back against the spell as he was sent through the door he behind, passing by it as if it was a mirage. His mind was too stumped by the question to even alarm him to what happened.

As the dragon mage went through the door without any struggle Zeke laid back into one of the doors with wide grin on his face.

"Question is, will you be ready for the third part of your test once you clear that lead head of yours."

* * *

_(Unknown Memory)_

"Wow! It's huge! Is this really a guild?"

_'T-This place! This memory, I remember it.'_ Natsu thought in stunned silence as he snapped back out from his trance like state to an all too familiar scene.

A boy wearing a red long sleeved coat in light brown cargo pants with a white bag on his back stared in wonder of the tall building in front of him. The boy had spiky pink hair with onyx black eye's and a white scaled scarf around his neck. He stood by another familiar face with an odd smiling faced staff at his side. It was Master Makarov and the boy standing next to him was none other then himself, just as he was when he first joined the guild.

_'Is this. . . a memory?'_ Natsu wondered as he stood by the sides of the scene. He looked curiously at his hands noticing they had become see through, almost like he was an illusion. Like he was a ghost to everyone in the memory he was in.

_'This was when I had first joined Fairy Tail.'_ he smiled as he watched Makarov explain the meaning of the guilds name.

"Yes. Fairy Tail." Makarov nodded as little Natsu listened to his every word, "Do fairies have tails? Nobody even knows if they exist in the first place. That's it's an eternal mystery. An eternal adventure. That's the meaning behind the name." he smiled as Natsu continued to stare at the building in awe.

"I don't really get it, but awesome!" little Natsu grinned with starry eye's.

Natsu chuckled, "**I can't believe I was so amazed at seeing the guild the first time. But seeing as I never really had even seen one before till Master found me, I can see why I was all giddy.**" he grinned.

"**So, this is a guild full of mages?**" A familiar voice muttered beside him.

Turning to his left to find the hooded scythe wielding mage beside him, Natsu tried to hide his surprise at seeing him in his memory. "**What are you doing here?**" he asked confusingly.

Zeke shrugged. "**Meh, I was going to become bored waiting for you finish looking through your memories. So, I decided to join you down memory lane.**" he grinned.

"**Whatever.**" Natsu grumbled before remembering what the man had just said, "Wait, you've never seen a guild before?"

"**No, not really.**" he yawned as he watched the little Natsu run into the guild, dragging the funny looking short old man with him. "**Like I said before, my artifact has only been used by monks seeing peace of mind and enlightenment. The occasional bandit would find my spell, or a maybe a mage, but that's about it.**" he looked back at Natsu with slightly narrowed eye's, "**Mage's have no reason to dabble in my magic. It was meant for unlocking the secrets of this world and reaching nirvana. And not many have left my domain whole. I detest ignorance and those who only seek my knowledge without a solid reason. Becoming one with the universe isn't good enough for me to leave any alive.**"

"**So you've actually killed people who have used this thing?**" Natsu frowned, thinking of all the poor souls who have died by his hand. "**That's not right.**" he scowled with clenched fists.

"**What's not right is the reason why people seek shortcuts to their problems.**" Zeke rebutted, "**And you'll join them too if you don't wise up sooner or later. Stupidity kills, immaturity shuns, ignorance sins, and cockiness downfalls. Even though you don't seek Enlightenment, you seek peace of mind at the anger you hold towards one individual who has caused you pain. Maybe not directly, but indirectly by someone you care for with all your heart.**"

The scene before the two wavered into static before it flashed forward to little Natsu meeting his first friend, or rival in his case.

"What's your problem? I don't like your look." A small shirtless boy with spiky black hair frowned as he looked at the pink haired kid standing in front of him.

"Gray, your clothes."

"Not again!" Gray jumped in surprise as his head went back and forth in search of his clothes.

"Pfft. You're just some freak." Natsu scoffed boredly as he turned away from the glaring stripper. Man did Fairy Tail have some weird people.

"Who you calling a freak, squinty eye's!" Gray hissed as he butted heads with an equally glaring Natsu.

"I'm talking about you, droopy eyed pervert!"

"Pink haired monkey!"

"Shirtless weirdo!"

Not a second later a cloud of dust rose up as the two young mage's broke out into a fight in the middle of the guild hall. The guild members laughing and cheering on the two as they watched the fight play out.

"**As children we are ignorant to the world we are born into. Blissfully unaware that it holds more to it then light and even darkness.**" Zeke spoke stoicly as he watched the memory along with Natsu. "**But that's alright. We eventually grow with experience. Not good experience, but sorrowful ones. These fun moments that we wished to last forever can only be persevered within our hearts. Reality is cruel and only through pain can people grow into decent human beings.**"

"**You certainly don't seem the type for looking into the lighter side.**" Natsu sighed, trying to enjoy his memory with Mr. Dark-out-look beside him. "**Did you always think this way?**"

"**More or less.**" Zeke shrugged. "**Like I said, only through pain can people grow. You must suffer before you can ever be happy.**"

"That's enough!" A girl with scarlet red hair done in a braid down to her waist wearing an armor plate over her white dress ordered. She separated the two from each other with a small scowl.

Natsu growled as he looked back at the girl who had just interupted his fight. Who was she to tell him what to do?

"You think I'm going to quit!?" Natsu shouted at the girl.

He regretted the next second as he was sent crashing against the guilds wall in a cracked crater along with the black haired kid too.

Natsu winced watching his younger self fall back from the blow with few bumps on his head. Man did he remember that. It was the first he had learned to watch his mouth around Erza. You always had to watch what you said around her in fear of her sending you flying with a strong backhand.

He didn't feel bad for Gray though. Bastard deserved it for starting the fight.

Turning back to Natsu and Gray, Erza sent the two a sharp look, "No fighting. Got it?" she said sternly.

"R-Right." Gray stuttered in fear.

"S-Scary. . . Strong." Natsu cringed as he held his sore head. It was almost as if he had been reprimanded by Igneel. That red haired girl was really strong.

Erza raised a brow curiously now noticing the new face to the guild she had never seen before. She hummed in thought as she looked him over. "What's your name?" she asked as Natsu looked back at her.

Natsu pouted angrily at the girl before looking away to his side, ". . . Natsu." he grumbled getting a small smile out of the firm girl.

"Natsu, huh?" Erza smiled, "Listen. Everyone who comes to Fairy Tail is like family. And this is our house. A family's house is not a place to fight. Do you understand?" she looked back softly.

_'No, I don't understand.'_ Natsu thought with a gentle grin as he watched his memory self look down in confusion with an embarrassed blush. _'But you taught me all about what it meant to be a Fairy Tail mage along with everyone else. Even that damn stripper Gray. You guy's opened me up to nakama and family.'_

"Whatever." he scoffed with a embarrassed look on his face.

Erza could only grin. "I am Erza by the way. Nice to meet you."

"Erza's scary." Natsu whispered in slight fear getting Gray to nod.

"See?" he whispered back.

Looking back at each other they both grinned suddenly scowling as they looked away from each other.

"**See? It's these memories that build you up into who you are today.**" Zeke explained as multiple memories began to play before their eye's like a clip show. "**Happy, sad, painful, and pleasant. No matter the memory they become a part of who you are as a person. But it's not always a good thing. Memories are the sharpest double edged swords. They can have a negative effect even on the purest of humans.**"

"**But their who we are.**" Natsu said softly as he re-watched his entire life play back before his eye's. He almost forgotten some of the things he was seeing again. And he couldn't help but tear up a bit at some of the things he was witnessing all over again.

The memories of his time with Igneel. The day he left and was left all alone once again. Meeting Master Makarov in the forests near Magnolia. Being brought into the guild. Becoming friends with Erza, Gray, Lissana, Mirajane, Elfman, Cana, and everyone else. Finding Happy in the forest and raising him with Lissana. Going on missions and learning how to fight alongside nakama. Losing Lissana to death even though it wasn't real. Growing through the pain alongside his friends and growing stronger through it all. Searching for his father from all the leads he had heard during his missions. Meeting Lucy and bringing her back to Fairy Tail. Even the freshest memory of meeting Knightwalker and bringing her back to the guild after opening her up to nakamas. And all the memories after that. They all played back through his mind clearer then day.

And it was through that he was starting to feel his head clear up from the sudden blankness he suffered from Zeke's question.

With new eye's Natsu looked back at the dark entity with his fists clenched firmly at his side, the memories playing back behind him speeding up in almost a blur causing his pink locks of hair to flap wildly around him.

"**My memories are my friends. My nakama. Their my heart and my sole reason for living besides finding Igneel.**" he answered with clear conviction before closing his eye's. The memories suddenly paused as they began to break apart into rainbow like ribbons that slowly flowed back where they came from, into Natsu's mind and heart as the world darkened.

Zeke was actually stunned at the unusual display. In all his time of guiding those who had come far enough to learn the answer to his question he had never seen the fragments of who they were flow back into their heart. He only thought that they would return back into his head. He never imagined that they would be stored inside their heart.

"**They mean the world to me, and I'll always treasure even the small fleeting moments I've enjoyed with all my nakama, my family! That's why I won't let you call light evil! To call light evil is to call my friends evil! Because their my light!**" Natsu roared as he blew away the darkness creeping around him from the loss of scene with his fire. Everything was burned away until only the white hallway was left.

Now Zeke was impressed. Shelling his face from the wild mass of flames producing from the dragon mage in front of him, Zeke couldn't help but grin at the power he was witnessing. Such destructive potential. If the boy was a dark mage then the entire world would be screwed.

_'His mind is weak now. It's time for him to find out how even memories can break a man into darkness.'_

"Then it's time find out what your light can do stand against your own hate." Zeke grinned madly before snapping his fingers in the air.

The world before them bled into into a dark red sky with black cloud floating above them in a split second as Zeke cackled in amusement. The ground under them turned into a swampy field of dark roots, sharp torn up boulders, and rotten logs. Everything looked twisted as if he was trapped within a nightmare. Even The Origin looked better compared to this new world Zeke had brought him to. This place smelled nothing but dark, twisted magic.

Zeke spread his arms out at the scene he had brought Natsu in with neutral smile. "Welcome to The Corridor of the Heart. Currently though, it's been twisted by a rather nasty memory that has brought you into a mad rage within your heart. Bringing what was once suppose to be a beautiful scene of light into this barren swamp of grudging hate."

"So," Natsu said as his eye's looked back and forth around the new world he had been sent to. "this is the third step to controlling my magic? And let me guess," he glared at the bowing hooded man, flames still flowing around his body, "I have to kick your ass to finish this part before finally finishing this dumb training. I don't have a problem with that. In fact," he cracked his knuckles menacingly with a dark glint in his eye. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Oh was he going to enjoy this. From what he could tell this place was meant to be a battlefield. That was fine with Natsu if Zeke wanted to fight. Since he had met the dark aloof bastard he wanted to punch his lights out. And now it looked like he had the chance to beat him to a bloody pulp.

It didn't seem to be that way though as Zeke shook his index finger at the rose haired mage with a teasing grin. And for some reason it didn't pump up Natsu at the prospect of a fight.

"Not exactly. You are correct, you will be fighting me. But some one else is going to join us from the outside world!" he laughed bringing Natsu's eye's to widen.

"Come out and play, Jellal!" Zeke shouted before snapping his fingers once again.

A shining beam of golden light pierced through the dark clouds stunning Natsu before the beam crashed in between the two mages with thunderous force. Smoke rose up from the blast in a plume that clouded the figure inside, bringing the feeling of his heart being gripped tightly to Natsu.

Standing within the smoke, was a blue haired man with spiky hair. He had brown eye's and a strange reddish tattoo on the side of his eye. He wore a form of a close-fitting dark outfit, with a leather-like material composing of gloves and boots and covering his shoulders and the upper part of his legs, provided with sets of three holes each, possibly for aerodynamics, and decorated by groups of three thin lines over the arms and legs, with a double set adorning the chest. He also wore a pendant reminiscent of the Ten Holy Mages.

The man with the blue hair was none other then Jellal Fernandes, an ally and once enemy to Natsu.

"J-Jellal?" Natsu stuttered as he shook in shock at seeing him within his mind. He was literally the last person he had thought of to seen in here.

Flexing his fingers in slight awe, Jellal looked back at the dragon mage briefly with a cold look in his eye, "Natsu. . ." he whispered stoicly before disappearing in a glow of magic.

"_Ryusei(Meteor)_."

No sooner had those words drifted into Natsu's ear's did he find himself knocked around in a blinding barrage of kicks and punches by the blue haired mage.

_'What the hell's going on!?'_ Natsu felt blood fly out his mouth as Jellal slammed his fist under his chin, sending him falling back before the fast mage reappeared behind him to ram his elbow into his spine. He coughed in pain, cringing from the powerful blow as he fall back on his knees.

"_Ten no Hari(Heavenly Beams)_!"

"Dammit." Natsu coughed, watching as Jellal sent yellow streaking beams of magic towards him. Picking himself back up Natsu coated his both of his hands with fire before raising them back behind his back, "_Karyu no Yokugeki(Fire Dragon's Wing Attack)_!"

He brought back his hands towards the beams just as they were closing in to their target to send two streams of burning hot flames. They collided head on, disrupting each others magic to blow up in a violent boom.

Natsu smirked, glad that he had countered the beams before his senses told him move back.

"_Tsuki o Zanshu(Beheading Moon)_." A slicing line of black tinted magic went right through where Natsu's neck would have been as he jumped to the side to avoid the deadly crescent mooned scythe. The Dragon Slayer growled angrily at Zeke who stood right by Jellal, smirking at the look sent his way.

"What? I did say you were right. It's just that your friend Jellal here is going to help me out. After all," he grinned, "you do hate the guy, right?"

"Shut up! I'm not fighting Jellal! He's one of my nakama!" Natsu shouted furiously. Even if he had once fought the guy and beaten him to bloody pulp, he didn't want to fight him again. He was his friend. And he wasn't going to fight him in a place like this.

Zeke seemed almost confused. "What are you talking about? I saw those memories inside your head too. He caused you great anger. He hurt someone close to you who you couldn't stand seeing cry. Why are you calling someone like that a friend?"

"Because he ended up losing his memory of what he did! He regrets what he did to Erza and he wanted to make up for it! That's why I consider him as a nakama of Fairy Tail!"

"And if he got back his memory?"

"W-What?" Natsu froze as Zeke spoke stoicly.

"Let me tell you a little something of this spell, Natsu. I created this thing using my all. Every bit of magic in this body was put into this thing that I had ended up dying with my soul and spirit infused within. I reached a total understanding of everything through the fusion of magic, the life force of the world. The simple, odd looking ball crosses the line of reality. If I wanted to I could bring in someone from outside of here into here through magic." he gestured to the cooly gazing meteor mage, "The man you know as Jellal here is not a fake. Meaning he had really attacked you with the intent to kill. He knows what he's doing and it doesn't look like he considers you as a friend either." he grinned.

"You're lying!" Natsu shouted in fury only to frown as Jellal roared in laughter.

"Still as naïve as when we had last met." Jellal smirked, narrowing his eye's in disgust at the rose haired mage. "Don't mention that weak, fool minded man that I use to be. Remembering all that he had did and said while I was recovering from the memory loss only brings me fury. To think you actually considered me as a nakama." he held his side in laughter at the thought, not noticing the look of pure anger in Natsu's dilated eye's.

"What a joke! Now that my memory is back I can clearly remember what an annoying pest you are! Just like Erza. Both naïve fools who can only blab on about useless things such as her love!"

"What the hell is wrong with you, Jellal!" Natsu grit his teeth doing his best to control himself at the man in front of him. Old feeling were slowly rising up as Natsu could feel the veins in his neck throb from the strain of holding his anger back. For the sake of not wanting to hurt his friend, Natsu was fighting the urge to pound that annoying smirk of his face.

"This isn't you! Remember Erza? Remember the tears you brought to her eye's because of that possessed mind of yours?"

Jellal hummed in thought. "Now that you mention it, I do. But," he disappeared in an after image of himself.

"I also remember the feeling of being locked up against my will in a dark, cold prison!" he roared in anger before reappearing behind Natsu with his fist closed except for two fingers, "_Ten Imochi(Heaven Blast)_!"

Not having enough time to dodge, Natsu raised up his arms to shield himself from the spell. An orb of yellow sparking magic rammed straight into Natsu's defense with its size nearly towering over him. The force of the spell pushed him back on his feet, his feet skidding against the swampy ground as he grit his teeth feeling his arms sting painfully.

Natsu fought against the sparking ball till he couldn't take it anymore. The blast was torn apart with a mighty swing of both his arms before he growled as he ducked under a back kick to his spine. Jellal aimed both his hands in a hammer fist at Natsu's head only to miss. The Dragon Slayer spun by another right hook, kicking his leg up to block Jellal's own kick, and jumped back from a glowing swipe from his palm that blew up the ground in front of him.

Attempting another right hook, Jellal grinned catching Natsu by surprise as he blinked out of thin air and came falling back from above him with his hands raised above him.

"_Ten no Ya(Heavenly Arrows)_!"

Multiple sparking yellow arrows rain down from above, pelting Natsu who was unable to escape Jellal's attack. He gasped in pain as the smoke kicked up from the spell faded away, only to bite his tongue from the axle kick to the head. Not stopping there, Jellal called on his Ryusei magic to increase the speed of his kicks as he began to ruthlessly stomp all over the Dragon Slayer.

"What's wrong, Natsu?!" Jellal grinned, enjoying the grunts of pain coming off the fire mage, "Don't tell me that's all you got? To think I was beaten by a runt like you! The only reason you even won was because of that power boost you got from eating Etherion. You can't even fight me evenly without some cheap power up to help you out. How pathetic!" he shouted before swiping his palm at Natsu.

"_Ten no Uchiwake(Heavenly Breakdown)_!" the ground under Natsu blew up in an eruption of swampy water and dirt, blowing back the injured Dragon Slayer to fall on his back.

Jellal scoffed at the sorry sight, "Pathetic. You can't even stand back up from an attack like that? To think this was the light that Erza believed in. She was always a stupid girl. Nothing but a fleeting flame."

"S-Shut up!" Natsu gasped, weakly trying to get back with the help of his hands, "You don't even have the right to speak Erza's name!"

"Oh?" Jellal raised an eyebrow curiously, a dark look shadowing his face a second later, "I can talk about Erza as much as I want. She was my property before you and your friends came to my tower to take her from me. You and her ruined my plans for reviving Zeref. I can't forgive that."

"Letting her go off from The Tower of Heaven to live her life out to its fullest with the threat of her friends life hanging from her shoulders wasn't my most thought out plan. I should of kept her caged up within instead of giving her a life. She's become a broken tool in the end instead of a key to paradise. What a worthless life gifted." he sighed in disappointment.

"_Karyu no Hoko(Fire Dragon's Roar)_!"

A stream of barreling fire rushed towards Jellal who flew away from the spell with the use of his Ryusei magic. But the stream didn't stop there. The flaming roar curved back at Jellal, following him until the mage had no choice but to send multiple beams of magic to tear it apart.

A shadow rose up from above Jellal causing his eye's to widen in panic before the enraged shout of a Dragon Slayer caught him off guard, "_Karyu no Koen(Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame)_!"

Jellal was engulfed in a giant flame of dragon flames as Natsu landed back in front of the explosion. He watched by with a shadowed expression as the fire raged for a few moments before it was blown away with a swing of his arm.

The spell was painful. Jellal had to catch his breath as he cringed from the burns running around his body. A bit of his specially designed suit was burned off but he other then the burns he was fine.

"What ticked you off, Natsu?" Jellal grinned with one of his eye's closed in pain.

"I'm done." the Heavenly Body mage's eye's widen in surprise as he suddenly found himself backhanded into a rotten tree, nearly snapping it in half from the force he was sent flying. Weakly getting up from the blow, Jellal was nearly blown away as flames erupted out from under Natsu, flowing wildly around him as he looked back at him with uncontrollable anger.

"You can say what you want about me, I don't care. But when you start saying such things about Erza, I won't forgive you. You're going to pay everything you've said about her!" Natsu shouted as he unleashed all the fire inside of him to gather in an aura of flames. Everything around the Dragon Slayer was devastated by the powerful incinerating aura of magic, sending everything flying in burning embers.

Zeke smirked as he watched from the sides. It looked like Natsu had forgotten about him. Oh well, that was alright. This fight was between them anyways. And it looked things were about to get serious. He could always join in whenever he wanted.

"I'm going to make it that you can never utter Erza's name ever again! I swear!" he roared furiously before tearing a large wave of magic at Jellal.

* * *

_(Outside Natsu's body.)_

"Get ready!" Gajeel shouted, noticing Natsu's body begin to slowly get up. All three mage's were on guard as they watched the fire mage stand back like a zombie before his head shot up to reveal glowing red eye's narrowed in a look of complete anger. His body steamed as flames flowed out of his body, alarming all three that the calm was over.

The storm was about to hit.

* * *

**And done! Natsu's body is about to about to lose control of its magic and go on a rampage. Will our heroes be able to contain the enraged beast that dwells within the happy Dragon Slayer? And what about Natsu himself who is stuck inside his mind? Will he be able to control his angered state of mind in the face of Jellal who had made the very person he had sworn to never let cry? And what about Zeke? Who is this dashing, cool, and mysterious entity of nothing?**

**You'll have to find out on the next chapter of The Story of a Dragon, a Knight, and a Fairy Hunter!**

**. . . . That actually felt pretty kick-ass. I can see why the announcer of Dragon Ball Z does it all time.**

**Anyways, to tell you the truth, I finished this chapter the other day. I was just too busy with writing the next to post it up with Thanksgiving and all.**

**And some of you might be wondering why I called Zeke dashing and cool. Look in the name of his alias and you'll see why. Specifically one name will give out his true identity. **

**Cookie to those who guess right. You can't eat it of course. It's virtual!**

**Welp, I got to get some writing done before I get some shut eye. I finish the next chapter along with two other new stories and then work on the next chapter of A Time Before Fairy Tales. **

**Oh, before I forget! In the near future, probably near the summer, I'll be trying my hands on a crossover with Fairy Tail. With Natsu as the main protagonist of course. Who else?**

**. . . . No, not your mother. Who am I talking to anyways?**

**I'll put up a poll in future on which manga I should cross with Fairy Tail, but if you want to throw around some ideas don't be afraid to tell me in your review. I already got a few but few more won't hurt.**

**And on a very last side note, I've heard about xchrispx510's strive to make his story THE Naza fic along with Sheduawz. I only got one thing to say.**

**Bring it. I love a challenge. Especially since I currently hold the 1st place in both favorited and followed Naza story on the site. Shinji01ikari holds the title for most reviewed and longest, but it's only a matter of time before I surpass his story.**

**So come my fans and help me make this story great! Review and follow, it's common curtesy.**

**NeoShadows fading in and out.**


	10. Listen to your Heart

**I'm back! And ready with a new chapter!**

**Before we get down to reading to our hearts content, I would like to bring up some important message on behalf of my fellow writers, Shedauwz and Roxas.97. It seems to me people are ignoring Roxas's story, Venomous Reality because of its pairing. Come on people! Give the story a review before judging it. It's actually pretty good, not to mention it's 50,000 words long so far. Give it a shot and leave a review for heavens sake. It's not reviewing that ends up making us feel like we aren't doing a good job and abandon our stories. Try and help keep a good author from leaving a story unfinished. **

**So give the story a go once you're all done reading and reviewing. It would mean a lot in more ways then one.**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Fairy Tail, it belongs to Hiro Mashima.**

**I love chicken. There! I said it! I'm not afraid to admit it! Now gimme the chicken you promised me, you Kentucky Fried Chicken sponsoring bastards! I won't fall to threats against my life to sell my soul online!**

**But offer me chicken and I'll even do that annoying Baby, Baby song. I ain't afraid to sell my soul for some chicken.**

**. . . . . Don't judge me dammit.**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Listen to your Heart.**

Bickslow grunted as he ducked under a wave of lashing flames before commanding his dolls to form a shield in front of him. The dolls blocked a powerful stream of flames bringing a sigh of relief to the Siege mage, nearly buckling under the intensity of the heat slowly pushing him back.

This wasn't how he had pictured his day to go. He was more or less expecting to go on a mission with his team for some carrying around money. Maybe even see if he could get a date with a chick while he was at it. You know, a nice peaceful day. Nothing chaotic for once.

He should of known better. Being a Fairy Tail mage practically entitled nothing was ever peaceful.

The flames faded away revealing the glowing deep red eye's of everyone's favorite fire Dragon Slayer glowing with uncontrollable rage. His body was crouched like a beast, his mouth snarling with flames escaping out from his teeth and Bickslow could even catch what he believed were scales crawling around the bottom of his hands. The very ground under the Dragon Slayer was melted into fine mud from the fire bathing his entire body, his fingers clawing into the dirt with clawed nails.

Things were more or less heating up. It hadn't even been fifteen minutes and already Bickslow was struggling to control the fire mage. He panted as the temperature in the area was raised up in desert like weather with Natsu's presence alone.

So this was Natsu when he payed no attention towards human life. It was almost terrifying how powerful he was when the restraints were off.

A black glint caught Bickslow's eye warning him to duck as the next second multiple glowing emerald lances shot in succession straight towards Natsu from behind him.

"_Tetsuryuso: Kishin(Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs)_!"

Natsu swiped his clawed hands sending a wall of flames to wash away the iron pikes into incineration, grinning madly the next second as his other hand swiftly blocked the rapier of Freed from his side. He blocked a rapid assault from the dark writing mage as Freed struggled to land a blow onto the possessed mage. Ducking under a swipe towards his neck, Natsu slashed at the green haired man's midsection only to have him jump back. He snorted before blowing flames from his mouth to chase after the man. Freed grimaced feeling the intensity of the magic before writing runes in front of him with the use of his sword just as the spell reached him.

"_Yami no Ekurityuru: Kyozetsu(Dark Ecriture: Reflect)_!"

A set of purple runes in a line flew out of the blade of the rapier interceding Natsu's dragon roar before sending it flying back in broken lines of fire. Natsu roared at the reflected attack causing a shock wave produced from the roar to tear apart the flames along with everything else in his vicinity. The three Fairy Tail mages shielded their faces in the wake of the shock wave as they were pelted with chunks of earth.

Gajeel suddenly gasped in pain as he found his side sliced by sharp claws before his face was kicked in by the merciless talon feet of Natsu. He was sent flying into the water of the small waterfall, quickly catching himself. He grimaced as blood flowed from his wound before calling on some steel scales to patch up the four lined wound. Who knew Natsu could be so ruthless?

Quickly catching his breath, Gajeel stood back up just as Natsu blurred right in front of him to slash at him wildly with his clawed hands. He returned the favor as both Dragon Slayers met in clawed melee combat. They clashed claws of steel and fire in a break neck speeds, sending sparks flying in the process. Natsu aimed for uppercut only for Gajeel to swipe away at the attack, raising up his knee a moment later to send the fire mage falling back. He caught himself quickly by his hands before using the momentum to blow flames from his feet in Gajeel's face. The iron Dragon Slayer grit his teeth not having enough time to move away as he was flooded by the red hot magic jets.

The flames bathed mage in scolding fire only for him to blow it away as if it were smoke. He revealed himself to be covered head to toe in iron black scales that shined in the afternoon sun as smoke drifted off his body from the flames. He grinned wolfishly at the growling possessed Natsu who seemed to be ticked off at seeing the iron mage in one piece. The sight brought him to slammed both his arms to the ground sending two blazing arcs flying at Gajeel.

Gajeel swiped his arms at the the arcs causing the air pressure produced from his iron hand to fly in a line. The swipe vanished the attack into little embers before Gajeel was forced onto the defensive as Natsu once again appeared out of nowhere behind him. A flaming fist aimed towards his chest only for the iron mage to raise up his hands to block the blow. Natsu licked his lips cruelly bringing Gajeel's eye's to widen as he watched flames sprout out from the end of his elbow. The jets of fire created more pressure to press against his defending arms that made him grit his teeth in frustration.

"Dammit!" he cursed as he ended up losing the struggle and was sent off his feet. He flew off expecting to land on his back only for the fire mage to blur above his airborne form to crush him with a hammer fist to his stomach.

Bickslow frowned as Gajeel cracked the ground under him with his fall from the blow he had just taken, the earth actually breaking into a small crater from the strength a split second later.

This was crazy. Just how strong was Natsu? He had never seen him take out a mage so fast before. And not a weak mage that they had fought in groups. From the looks of it even Gajeel's iron scales weren't able to stand up against the last hit. The iron Dragon Slayer was left panting in pain as Natsu went off after Freed next as they weaved around each other in a mix of claw strikes and blade swipes.

Gajeel wasn't kidding when he said Natsu was going to go all out. Bickslow clutched his right arm tightly as he felt the burn he had suffered when the pink haired mage had first attacked blister. He was lucky he hadn't been caught in one of his roar based spells. The Siege mage would have been screwed.

"Bickslow!" Freed shouted as he ducked a kick to his head from Natsu, "Don't stand around like an idiot! Help out over here!" he grimaced as Natsu missed his head with his claws to only scratch his cheek.

"You heard him babies!" Bickslow grinned as he pointed to the out of control mage. "Let's stop messing around and bring the pain!"

"Bring the pain! Bring the pain!" the dolls chanted before blinking in and out all over the fire mage as Freed jumped away from the incoming spell.

"_Mattan Fomeshon(End Formation)_!"

Blast after blast of green magic pelted Natsu as the iron totem dolls phased all around him so that he wouldn't be able to hit back. The spell annoyed Natsu before he couldn't take it anymore and clapped his hands together to engulf himself in a large explosion that blew the dolls back.

Calming down the flames Natsu summoned two spiraling balls of fire onto the palms of his hand before throwing them towards both Freed and Bickslow. They dodged the blazing balls just as they blew up in embers and began weaving through the next ones being shot at him. Side stepping another ball of combustion, Freed aimed several well aimed slashes towards Natsu's person. He frowned as the fire mage dodged each strike of his rapier only to be suckered punched by Bickslow who caught him by surprise. The sucker punched most of pissed of the already anger possessed mage as the two soon found themselves nearly blown back from the mighty roar escaping Natsu's mouth.

"Oh you angry huh?" Bickslow smirked before running towards the enraged pink head, his dolls flying around him wildly in a axis, "_Dai Norio Senso Odori(Tome Man War Dance)_!"

The attack smacked Natsu around with every blow as the dolls hit him from every corner of his body before Bickslow sweep kicked his legs off the ground. Aiming the dolls at the fallen mage Bickslow commanded his babies to shoot down Natsu that he wouldn't get back up. Smoke blew up from the gauntlet fire digging Natsu into the dirt as his body bled from the magic like bullets. If he could talk properly he would probably be cursing out the doll users name.

Backing away as he canceled the attack, Bickslow fell in step with Freed and Gajeel who had just gotten back up from his stomach nearly dented. All three gathered themselves together as they watched Natsu slowly rise back up, closing his wounds with a quick burst of fire.

The damn idiot was one hell of a juggernaut. No matter how hard they hit back he still got back up without any hesitation. And it looked like he was just warming up.

Cleaning some blood that had escaped his mouth from the hard blow to the stomach that he was going to return with a vengeance, Gajeel looked back to the equally sweating members of the Thunder God Tribe, "Let's put this idiot down enough for him to stop his rampaging for awhile. I'm getting sick of him puking out his flames to grill us like we were some smoked fish." he smirked.

"As long as we don't critically injure him." Freed agreed firmly.

Bickslow snorted while blowing on his burned arm, "Why should we hold back when he nearly burned my arm off!? I swear the bastard did that on purpose for the dumbass comment from earlier!"

"Don't worry." Gajeel reassured Freed as Natsu roared angrily at them, "He won't feel anything at all. All we're trying to do is keep him from escaping and wrecking havoc on Magnolia while he tries to cope with his anger. It's not like we're trying to kill him."

"Right!" the Siege mage grinned as he gathered his dolls to spin around in a pentagon formation. "We shouldn't feel sorry for what we do to Natsu. We should feel sorry for not being able to keep ourselves from getting hurt by our rampaging friend."

Freed sighed as his nakama began to build up their individual spells. They were right. For the good of their friend they couldn't afford to worry for his safety when he was trying to kill them. If either one of them wound up dead then they would only cause great grief to Natsu.

"Fine." Freed nodded as he built up magic within his rapier, "For the sake of our friend I won't hold back!" he shouted firmly before all three unleashed their spells.

"_Barion Fomeshon(Baryon Formation)_!"

"_Tetsuryu no Hoko(Iron Dragon's Roar)_!"

"_Yami no Ekurityuru: Haretsu(Dark Ecriture: Rupture)_!"

Three separate spells tore apart the earth before the red eyed Natsu, one a beam of spiraling green magic, the second a buzz screw like tornado of gray razor sharp shrapnel steel, and the last a bursting wave of purple magic. All Natsu could do was snarl before he was enveloped within the explosion of the combined spells.

* * *

_(Back at Fairy Tail)_

"Where the hell did that idiot go?" Knightwalker pouted as she sat around the guild with Erza eating cakes to pass the time now that Natsu was nowhere in sight. She bit into her blueberry cake roughly still upset with the fact she couldn't see her beloved today after what she had heard from the flying blue cat.

She was hoping to drag Natsu around the town for a little sightseeing today. Even if her scarlet twined protested to the idea she was somehow hoping to sneak pass the knight and kidnap the rose haired boy if she had to. She did once and she was sure she could do it again.

Unfortunately that wasn't going to happen any time soon now that she had found out that Natsu had disappeared this morning to who knows where. Happy didn't even seem to know where he might of gone off to. Knightwalker sighed in slight depression at the thought on not seeing his cheerful face when she had walked into the guild this morning. It felt like she had woken up to a sunless morning.

Erza shook her head at the gloomy cloud that seemed to form over her Edolas self, trying her best to sip her tea without falling into depression along with Knightwalker.

While she too was slightly ticked off with Natsu vanishing off into thin air without even telling Happy where he might of wandered off to, Erza gave the Dragon Slayer the benefit of the doubt. Wherever he might of went off to, it must have been for good reason if he decided not to tell anyone. She'd just have to wait till he came back before she get him to tell him where he went.

Even if it meant she had to use force to get him to spill the beans.

Looking around the guild hall Erza found that Natsu wasn't the only missing from the group. It looked like Gray was even missing too. Not to mention Gajeel, Freed, and Bickslow. Gildarts was most likely with the master seeing as they had both left to talk in his office over something important. If she didn't know any better, both Natsu and Gray were most likely fighting somewhere in private in fear of her wrath. Erza had to sweatdrop at the thought. She wasn't that bad, was she?

Though that wouldn't explain why Juvia was imitating Knightwalker as she sat beside them with her own rain cloud over her. If they had really been fighting then Juvia would have been following Gray and watching the two fight. The girl always knew where Gray was so this was actually a bit surprising.

"So you don't know where Gray is either, Juvia?" Erza asked the water mage curiously.

Juvia nodded sadly, blowing her nose in a tissue courtesy of the ex-fairy hunter, "No, Juvia looked everywhere for her Gray-sama, but I couldn't find him anywhere. Maybe Juvia upset Gray-sama. He probably doesn't want to see Juvia's face ever again!" she sobbed as tears streamed down her face in waterfalls, Knightwalker patting the blue haired women consolingly.

When did those two start to get along? It kinda made sense considering they both had 'love rivals'.

"It's alright Juvai-chan. Our idiot lovers will be back soon enough. We just have to wait for them to come back." Knightwalker said soothingly.

Erza stared flatly at Knightwalker, ". . . Lovers? Since when?"

"Why do you always have to burst my bubble Erza? Can't you let me enjoy myself?" Knightwalker pouted.

Sniffing back her tears, Juvia smiled at the redheaded woman in a ponytail, "Thank you Knightwalker-chan. Juvia appreciates the kind words. Juvia just wishes Juvia knew where Gray-sama may of wen to." she frowned thinking why he may of left, "The last Juvia saw Gray-sama was when he had left for the guild hall early in the morning for something. Juvia would of followed, but Juvia had to return home to take a morning bath."

"Early in the morning, huh?" Erza hummed in thought before gazing up the guild's hall where the master's office was, "Maybe the master knows where he might be. Master Makarov always arrives to the guild earlier before everyone else. He might even know where Natsu could of gone off to."

"Aren't you a water mage?" Lucy frowned in confusion, having joined the the three female mages, "Couldn't you just, I don't know, wash yourself?"

"And that's why you're a disgrace to all blondes." Happy chirped from on top of Erza's head seeing as Natsu wasn't around to entertain him. "You know you make it way too easy on yourself. Having big 'jugs' as Natsu would say doesn't help your image either." he grinned as Juvia glared at her 'rival'.

"Shut it you damn cat!" Lucy shouted causing Happy to cower behind the scarlet knight.

"Lucy's scary! Save me Erza!"

Lucy grumbled to herself, the words 'cat' and 'stupid' unsurprisingly leaving her mouth. Knightwalker laughed quietly to herself at the scene. Looked like this wasn't the first something like this happened with the two. It was actually pretty entertaining is had to say so herself.

Patting Happy's head, Erza looked towards the masters office just as he opened the door to leave along with Gildarts. She nodded to herself before excusing herself from the table as she made her way towards the master. It was about time she found out was going with Natsu.

It hadn't escaped the scarlet haired knight that whatever was concerning Natsu that the master most likely knew. He was wiser then anyone within in the guild ever could be. If anything was wrong with his children he would be the first one to know without anyone finding out. Although he seemed to respect his children's space, deciding to leave them to solve their own troubles themselves. He believed them capable mages, knowing with all his heart that they had the strength to overcome their problems.

But right now she needed the master to spill the beans on what was going on with Natsu. If not for her sake of concern then for all of his friends. He shouldn't be going through whatever he was dealing by himself. He had friends after all. That was why they were their. To help.

Discussing something with the Crash mage, Makarov suddenly stopped as he heard the firm footsteps of the Titania draw near them. He sighed, closing his eye's already knowing what the scarlet knight might of wanted. It was to be expected considering Natsu hadn't showed up to the guild today.

"Yes Erza? What do you want?" he smiled up Erza as he waved Gildarts away.

Watching as Gildarts bid a see ya to the master, Erza straightened up as she addressed Makarov.

"Master, I was wondering, do you know where Natsu might be?" she asked with a small frown of concern, "Normally I wouldn't be asking seeing as he's a capable mage despite his childish attitude, but lately since our arrival back from Edolas I've noticed something on his mind. I was just wondering if you knew where he went or at least knew what was wrong with him."

The master hummed as he thought over the question, stroking his beard in deep thought before realizing he didn't even have one. He frowned at that. He should really grown a beard when he had the time. Sold wise man right off the bat. And the ladies always dug the beard. He giggled perversely at the thought forgetting the fact Erza was standing behind him with a small sweat drop now on her head.

Now if only he could find some spell or potion to grow one. Then he'd have the chicks begging on their knee's at his rugged handsomenes-

Erza coughed into her fist bringing the master out of his day dreaming, blushing in embarrassment having been caught thinking of such things again. The scarlet haired knight ignored what just happened in favor of what she was asking as she repeated the question again to Makarov.

"Oh! You wanted to know where Natsu may be?" Makarov smiled, nodding his head in realization. Erza smiled hopefully glad that the master might know where the fire Dragon Slayer was before his next words stopped anything thought of finding Natsu.

"Sorry, but I can't tell you where he is right now. It wouldn't be safe." he frowned.

"What!?" Erza nearly shouted as the only thing running through her head right now was that he could be in danger. "What do you mean it wouldn't be safe? Is Natsu in danger right now?! Where is he!?" she couldn't help but shout catching the attention of some of the guild.

Makarov sighed. He should of lied. But knowing Erza as well as he did, she would of caught on to his lie eventually. It was better to just keep what Natsu had told him a secret. He couldn't make up some lie when his nakama were worrying about him, but he could refuse to tell them.

"I can't tell you." he answered firmly, "And he isn't in danger." At least he hoped he wasn't. The training he was going through was intense in both mental and physical aspects. He was fighting it out inside his mind and was being beaten still outside of his body. Their was no telling how he would wind up after he was done.

But Makarov had faith in Natsu. The boy had survived worst with a grin on his face. He would surely make it out the same.

Seeing Erza seem to struggle with wanting to shout at the him to tell her where Natsu was, Makarov smiled reassuringly to calm down the S-rank mage. "Now calm down Erza. It isn't like his life he is in danger or anything as serious as that. He just seemed to want to have some time to find himself."

"Time to find himself?" Erza frowned.

Makarov nodded. It wasn't a total lie. Technically he was finding himself. He was also lost in some deep rage and being held back with violence, but that was a different matter all together.

"Yes, as hard as it is to believe it Natsu went off to have some private time to think for himself. It seems after your little trip to Edolas the boy had came back with some. . . mixed feelings you could say." he nodded in thought, "He just needs some time to think. I think it's only fair that we all give him some privacy for once and leave him be. A man needs time to think after all." he grinned as he chuckled.

"But-" she asked only to be met with Makarov's stern gaze.

"Leave him be, Erza. Sometimes we need to be left alone with our problems before we can ever bring them into light to our friends." he said firmly.

Erza couldn't help but scowl at the master's answer, but sighed in the end as she accepted it. She couldn't fight the master's orders and he seemed to know what he was doing.

As much as she wanted to plead for Makarov to tell where Natsu had gone off to, Erza was just going to have to trust his judgment for now. If he had faith in Natsu then so did she.

Seeing as Erza had accepted his answer and made her way back to her table, Makarov turned back to his office with a frown of his own.

He hadn't failed to notice someone missing from the guild. And now it seemed his mind wasn't playing tricks on him earlier when he was discussing the matter of Natsu's training in early morning with the others.

Makarov could only hope Gray knew what he was doing.

* * *

Standing behind a couple of trees as slight tremors shook the earth from a safe distance of the wall of runes floating in the air, Gray frowned, narrowing his eye's as a tower of flames blew up deep within the forest. His hair was blown back from the ongoing struggle of mages holding back whatever roaring beast they were fighting, the sounds of explosions and spells flying drumming inside his ear.

So this was where they all were. Gray still couldn't believe. He grit his teeth as his face was shadowed by his hair, his fingers digging deeply into the wood of the tree he was behind.

When the ice mage had walked into the guild early today he was hoping to catch Natsu by surprise to pay him back for the fight in the guild hall the other day. The bastard had it coming to him considering he had wound up tasting not only Erza's hard fist, but her Edolas twin fist too. He had his ass handed to him twice as hard then usual. A few bruises and a blow to Natsu's ego was only fair seeing as he had gotten off lightly.

The only problem was that he wasn't expecting to stumble onto the master talking to Gajeel, Bickslow, and Freed about Natsu's training. He also wasn't planning on finding out the reason why the flame headed idiot couldn't take any mission requests was due to turning into some mini dragon like salamander back in Edolas and losing control of his magic. Yeah, he probably wasn't suppose to hear any of that.

To think, the idiot actually gave away years off his life just so he could defeat a pile of magical bolts! It was one of the dumbest things he had ever heard! Gray knew Natsu was an idiot, but this was beyond his level of stupidity. Knowing the idiot as well as he did, Gray could tell he didn't give a damn for nearly killing himself pulling off something as risky as eating his own magic. It was Etherion all over again, only on a much more dangerous scale.

If Gray had heard right, then Natsu was at risk of turning into that thing again. This time though, their wouldn't be a giant mechanical dragon to keep his rage blinded self entertained. He would have all of Magnolia to play with. And Natsu wasn't a gentle player. The out of control pyro would burn the city to the ground.

"Dammit Natsu." leaves fell to ground as the ice alchemist punched the tree in anger. Gray still couldn't believe the idiot had hid his condition from is own friends and nakama.

As grudgingly as he hated to admit it, the idiot had always been there for them whenever they were in trouble. He had even helped him back on Galuna island.

So why couldn't Natsu let them help him out? Did he think they weren't strong enough?

The cocky bastard. Gray punched the tree once more in anger, nearly toppling over as he broke through the bark deeply.

Natsu was always coming back stronger then ever after every hurdle that was thrown his way. Erza was already S-class and she was still continuing to grow more powerful. Hell, even Lucy was gaining some experience from them. It was only a matter of time before she could fight at their level evenly.

So why was he still behind? He should have been just as strong as Natsu. Yet the raven haired mage was still behind him. It didn't make any sense!

"This is bullshit!" Gray finally snapped, roaring in anger before slamming the back of his fist into the tree. Frost covered the fist, flash freezing the wooden lumber and everything around it into jutted icy crystal. The frozen trees creaked, cracks slowly crawling up their icy form only to shatter instantly a moment later into find snowy dust.

Grinding his teeth openly now, Gray couldn't help but be pissed as that wasn't the worse of it all. No, what was worse was the fact that even when he could hold his own against Natsu and his flames even when he was an ice mage that they hadn't even thought of asking him to help out. That's what pissed him off more then all.

It was an insult to him as Natsu's rival. Gray knew how to fight him. He could beat him without magic. He could even read his movements when he got too into their fight. So why didn't think to of called on him to help them control Natsu when he was like this?

Another flare of fire tore over the trees as an explosion rang out in Gray's ears, only pissing the exhibitionist off even more.

There was no doubt that Natsu would come back stronger after this. He hated to admit it, but the fire Dragon Slayer might even become on par with Erza once he had attained control. He could even become S-class material with his new power.

Gray was being left behind. Watching their backs as his friends all moved on to become stronger on their own.

"I won't let that happen." Gray scowled, letting his ice magic crawl up his hands. "If the matchstick is training to become stronger, then I can't just sit by as he passes me by." he smirked before turning away from the wall of runes in front of him.

Taking one last look behind him before making his way into another part of the forest, Gray couldn't help but grin challengingly at where he knew Natsu was going berserk.

"Ya hear that, Natsu? I'm not going to stand by as you pass me by. If you don't work hard enough in your training, it's my back you'll be seeing this time around."

As if answering him a loud earth bellowing roar rustled the forest trees bringing an amused scoff from Gray. He turned back towards his destination, intent on not letting the others leave him behind.

* * *

_(Corridor of the Heart.)_

_Natsu vs. Jellal/Zeke_

Moving back as multiple shots of golden beams headed straight at him, Natsu blew up a line of explosions to incinerate the heavenly magic, ducking under a kick to his head a moment later from Jellal. He snarled, dodging the bullet quick blows to his body from the glowing mage with difficult, sidestepping a large blast of magic from his closed fist that carved a line of destruction into the blood red swamp. Natsu's eye's suddenly widened as he felt a nick cut into his cheek, blood seeping out of the wound before he moved his head to the side, the crescent mooned blade of Zeke missing by a hair's breath. Seeing an opening, Jellal utilized his Heavenly Body magic to blur out of sight, ramming into the rose haired mage's spine a second later.

Natsu gasped in pain, feeling a bruise start to form on his spinal cord from the powerful blow. He grit his teeth making his way back up only to resort to trying to weave through the razor sharp scythe from Zeke. Multiple nicks and an occasional laceration cut into Natsu from the precised swings of Zeke's favored weapon, the two moving around each other in almost a dance of water and oil. Flaring up his body with a quick burst of fire magic, Natsu aimed a swiping kick towards the hooded man's chest, his feet coated with clawed flames. Zeke smirked, swiping away the melee attack only to widen his eye's as Natsu dropped on his palm before spinning rapidly on his skull, whipping lashing flames at him with the intent to burn him. The flames spread around in a spiral pattern that Zeke couldn't evade, resulting in taking the minimal damage of the flames as he raised his arms up to block.

Zeke grinned maliciously, flames burned hotly onto the the sleeves of his cloak leaving him without anything to protect his arms. Bright red blisters covered the skin of his forearms only causing the hooded man to laugh madly before dashing forward towards the fire mage.

Black-blue tinted crescent blades flew out of the scythe, ripping tides in the swampy battlefield in their pursuit for blood. Natsu blew back the blades into nothing with swipe of his palm, flames erupting out of his hands to consume the magic into fading embers in the air. If the bastard wanted to come at him then he had to start bringing his game in. Natsu wasn't playing any games this time.

A golden streak flew all over the two mages, bringing their attention to Jellal who was sending beam after beam of falling magic spheres from the blood red skies above them. Chunks of swampy earth sludge was kicked up from the crashing orbs, cornering both Natsu and Zeke into one spot, shielding their faces from the onslaught of the heavens.

"Stop running and fight me already, Jellal!" Natsu roared, blowing a long stream of red hot magic at the flying blue haired man. Jellal easily evaded the flaming roar, smirking smugly down at Natsu with superiority clear in his face. Like he would fall for something like that.

Watching with stunned silence as said rose haired boy vanished into thin air, Jellal would have to make a mental note not to underestimate his opponent again. Especially since the fire mage reappeared above his head with a large ball of flaring flames above his head.

"_Karyu no Koen(Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame)_!" bringing down his hands onto the Heavenly Body mage, Natsu slammed a giant explosive ball of fire right into Jellal's face. Flames erupted in midair as if a some large bomb was sent off, sending Jellal falling back to the earth burns covering half of his face, the pain bringing him to gasp in pain.

Zeke smirked, tending to his own wounds with amusement. The boy sure wasn't kidding when he said he was done playing around with them. It looked like Natsu was aiming to kill Jellal. What blinding rage. Zeke could only wonder how the mage's protecting his body were fairing on the outside.

Not done with his assault, Natsu flew straight down after Jellal with his flames working as jets to give him speed. He speed up in a bullet fast rush to ram his blazing his head into Jellal's stomach, the ex-holy saint choking on his own breath from from the blow. He was sent crashing into the swamp bellow with a thunder like crash as black thunder rang out from the black clouds overhead.

"_Getsumen Odori(Lunar Dance)_!" jumping back as Natsu came at him with a flaming hammer fist that blew back the spot he was just in, Zeke didn't waste a second as he came back with flashing swipes from his scythe, its blade lined with pale blue magic, intent on cutting him into pieces. Natsu grunted, dodging, weaving, and sidestepping the deadly grim weapon as it not only was fast, but sent pale blue blades out its edge with every missed swing. Meaning he had to be careful how he avoided the scythe in fear of it its blades catching him at an angle. Zeke slashed right, then left, brought up his blade for a chopping strike before letting it fall, swiped Natsu's leg's only fail as he jumped over, swung it in a complete 180 horizontal, and ended his bladed dance with 360 spin of his scythe that released a bladed ring around him that nearly sliced Natsu from his midsection if he hadn't dropped flat on his stomach.

"Nice try!" Natsu smirked as he laid on all fours, erupting in a blaze a second later before rocketing off his feet bash his head into Zeke's body. Zeke bit his lip seeing he couldn't dodge the spell, he was too close. "_Karyu no Kenkaku(Fire Dragon's Sword Horn)_!" Zeke's eye's nearly popped out of his head as felt his organs hit directly by the flaming spear tackle, coughing out blood when a burst of fire blew out his back without stabbing through him. He was sent flying off his feet from the spell, landing on his back in pain while hacking a mix of saliva and blood from his system.

Cleaning some blood that had trickled from from his lip with his fist, Natsu panted, grinning the whole time as he watched Zeke struggle to get back up from the last blow he had dealt him. "You're going to have to do better then that. I've faced darker bastards then you. And one of them is laying passed out a few feet away from us." Natsu weakly chuckled.

Things weren't as hard as they seemed to be before. Once Natsu finished with these two creeps he could finish the last of his training. Then he'd be a step closer to controlling his magic.

_'You are absolutely incredible. You really are.'_

"What the hell!?" Natsu sharply gasped as a familiar voice stabbed through his mind. Falling onto his knee's from odd intense pain smashing through his thoughts, Natsu could only grit his teeth in the sudden strange turn of events going on.

"E-Erza?" he panted as an eerie scene Natsu was all too familiar with played in his head.

The tower was falling. The R System. The Tower of Heaven. Dozens of flashing pale blue lights lite up the night as they shot off the lacrima tower in a frenzy of unstable magic energy. And in the middle of it all were two Fairy Tail mages, Natsu and Erza.

Natsu was forced to watch in horror as the tower began to fall apart, Erza cursing in hopelessness at the situation they were stuck in. She grit her teeth before her eye's caught site of himself, laid out on the blue crystal floor, passed out from eating Etherion. It was then that Natsu caught a spark of hope to lite up Erza's eye's as she turned back to the lacrima floating by them. Fear crossed Natsu's heart watching the scarlet knight gingerly touched the lacrima, grunting feeling it still accept her with a grim smile on her face.

"E-Erza! D-Don't!" Natsu shouted in pained panic as the memory continued to play, forgetting the fight entirely as buried feelings resurfaced once again.

_'This is our only chance of stopping Etherion, I'm sorry.'_

"Please, don't do it! I-I'll do anything!" he angrily shouted, the small, sad, beautiful smile on Erza's face already telling him she had made up her mind a long time ago.

_'You don't have to worry about a thing. I'll stop it for sure.'_

The memory was still fresh as day in Natsu's mind. The horrible memory that brought him on the verge of tears just thinking back to that one moment when he was helpless as a close friend who meant the world to him sacrificed her own life for him. The moment when Erza had actually died for all of them with a smile on her face.

"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" Natsu roared in grief feeling what was playing inside his head had only happened moments ago. He clutched his head in pain, falling onto all fours from the painful scene that had some strange effect to bring him to his knees as if he had been hit with a powerful spell dead-on.

_'Natsu, I leave the others to you. I'll always be right beside you all.'_

Those tears. That happy smile as she accepted death with open arms for their sakes. And the heart wrenching pain that followed like a lightning strike straight to his heart. Natsu had been completely broken.

Jellal scoffed at the broken mess in front of him, shaking in both pain and grief with tears streaking down Natsu's dirty cheeks. The sight sickened him, he swiped his closed fist with his ring finger and middle finger extended, sending a golden drill like blast to tear apart Natsu.

"_Ten no Rasen(Heavenly Spiral)_!"

Natsu didn't even feel the spell hit, the spell grinding into his abdomen like a drill that rendered his waistcoat into blood stained rags. He was sent flying off into a rotten tree only to be intercepted by a grinning Zeke who swung his leg horizontally to kick him away like a soccer ball.

Zeke sighed, watching the Dragon Slayer fall limply without any sign of getting back, still lost in mental grief playing back inside his memories. "What a sorry sight. And I thought he was stronger then this." he scoffed to the side, licking some blood from his lip from an earlier blow. "Natsu has a hell of a punch though. But I expected him to be stronger then this. I haven't even gone all out yet." he pouted.

"What did you do to him?" Jellal asked curiously, having never seen the pink haired mage like this before. The sight actually stunned him. "Was it some kind of spell?"

Zeke shrugged, cracking his stiff neck. "Nope! It's his own damn fault. I did say memories were a double edged sword. Right now he's caught up on the other end. It was only a matter of time before his memories caught up with him to cause him pain and sorrow."

Jellal smirked, gazing back at the traumatized mage with the smallest hint of sadness before his body glowed with magic. "What a sight. Though I think it's time to end this." he sighed, floating back high in the air to end the fight with one last spell.

"Whatever." Zeke yawned. "End it if you must."

Seven magical seals spread around, arranging in a constellation like cluster in the form the big dipper, each glowing with golden sparking magic as Jellal laid both his hands on top of each other, the top hand only having the index and middle fingers spread out. The spell was comparable to an actual meteor and it's devastating force was enough to wipe out the strongest mage.

Frozen stiff, Natsu was helpless as the heavens began to rain down upon him, just like in his memories.

"_Shichiseiken, Guran Shario(Seven-Star Sword, Grand Chariot)_!"

Seven condensed blasts of magical energy rained down from above Jellal, striking the earth around Natsu before glowing in a constellation pattern, exploding simultaneously in a shower of earth.

The fate of the fire Dragon Slayer unknown.

* * *

_(Outside Natsu's body)_

"Fucking shit!" Gajeel grunted, being steadily pushed back from his bladed lock with the enraged possessed Natsu. The rose haired mage's hands had been steadily morphed with blood red scales originating from his palms till they completely took over the human cells of his arm all the way to his shoulder to resemble dragon appendages, midnight black claws gleaming in the sun. The scales didn't seem to stop there, spreading over his entire body into a human salamander like form, the neck up to his head being the only spot free of the magical mutation. Natsu's eye's still glowed a deep red through the transformation, the only difference being that slits had appeared in the middle of his narrow dragon like eye's.

Fighting back against the clashing obsidian like blade growing out both Natsu's claws, Gajeel swore in frustration, sparks flowing off the their deadlock from grind of the countering swords. The two Dragon Slayers continued to attempt to break each others hold on their weapon, Natsu seeming to have enough with the useless struggle, breaking away one of his clawed blades before thrusting it like a javelin straight into Gajeel's chest with a toothy grin. The blade struck only to meet the steel scales of Gajeel's iron skin, the iron Dragon Slayer grinning back with a ruthless headbutt into Natsu's skull, his own iron like cells breaking the rose haired boy's skin on his forehead. Blood trickled down Natsu's head, temporarily blinding him to the green haired man with multiple scratches, bruises, and burns, coming at him from his left, his rapier raised high in the air in a downward slash.

"_Yami no Ekurityuru: Itami( Dark Ecriture: Pain)_!" Freed roared, slashing a purple line making up of runes into Natsu's side, the dark writing etching itself into the mage's scales. Pain coursed through Natsu's nerves as he roared in fury, aiming his sharp claws into Freed.

Freed only managed to step at a hairs notice, part of his maroon red coat tearing off from his chest with drops of blood flying out from the tearing claws. He ducked under roundhouse kick, making sure to evade the tail growing out of Natsu's tailbone that came swinging back with flame burning brightly from the tip, raising his chipped sword to strike down the overhead slash from the fire mage's dragon blade all while sweating from the intense heat surrounding him. Natsu's presence alone had become capable to heat up the air he breathed, stinging all their skin like acid by just getting in arms reach of him.

Natsu roared, blowing back Freed's hair from the intensity of his scream before puffing his cheeks with flames, small embers escaping his lips as he sucked in a lungful of air. Freed's eye's widened in alarm before jumping back, quickly running out of the Dragon Slayer's line of fire.

Flames carved a trenching blaze of orange-red fire through the battlefield, incinerating everything in its path with flames that could melt the strongest metal. Trees were reduced to ash and grass was turned into nothing, leaving Bickslow to stare in stunned silence at the destruction Natsu's spell had brought.

This was the happy go-lucky Natsu they had been friends with? This was a monster. Bickslow felt terrible seeing Natsu of all people in the that light, but the half of his medieval helmet visor from a claw strike to his eye's begged to differ. He was lucky his eye's weren't ripped out, only grazing the corner skin of his left eye.

Of all people, Natsu was the last person he would of suspected of using such a sick, brutal attack. Sure, he could burn people till their was nothing left, but he had never had the heart to maim anyone before. The Natsu standing before them with a sick, draconian grin didn't seem to share the same heart. He was ruthless, brutal, wild, bloodthirsty, and destructive to everything around him. He had no care for the well being of the mage's he was currently fighting that were suppose to be his friends, instead seeing them as prey in his own game.

Clutching the what felt like a deep wound to his side from the blades sprouting out of his nails, Bickslow could only try to wrap some cloth he had teared off from his clothes tightly against the gash as he watched on Freed and Gajeel keep Natsu at bay.

Running off in a red streak, Natsu landed a blazing right hook into Freed's abdomen, engulfing the rune mage in a fireball that blew him back in a flaming trench. A glint of black steel caught the salamander like mage, warning him of the buzz saw rapidly spinning towards. Gajeel's attempt to of using his _Tetsuryu no Tategami So(Iron Dragon's Saw Mane)_ failed as Natsu blew a stream of flames to reduce him to ash. The rotation of iron spiked hair was able to cut through the flames, minimizing the damage, but still blowing him away. Gajeel fell back on his back a smoking mess, his iron scales glowing a bright red from the flamethrower coming out of Natsu's mouth. He was too injured from the last attack to stop the possessed fire mage as he could only watch as he made a mad dash towards the injured Bickslow.

"D-Dammit! I don't think we can take much more of this." Gajeel whispered hoarsely, panting from the intense pain, steam wavering from his scales.

Bickslow grimaced watching Natsu make his way towards him, sighing as he took of what was left of his visor off to stare back at the fire mage with eye's full of regret.

"Sorry, Natsu. But I can't hold back any longer." the Siege said weakly, raising his right hand to extend his index and pinky finger towards his steel dolls, his iris glowing with a faint hint of magic.

"_Tamashi Shiji: Go Koto Taka(Soul Siege: Five Soaring Hawks)_!" Green lime colored spectral flames lite up the five totem dolls floating before Bickslow, morphing into hawk headed flames that engulfed his dolls. They cawed proudly before shooting straight off towards Natsu in blinding speeds, blowing back a gust as their beaks extended to form a sharp point to pierce through the fire mage. Natsu was too slow to avoid the spell, the magic form hawks hit dead-on, stabbing into his scales before pushing him back into a burnt tree as they continued to soar like rockets. Pinned straight up against the bark from the spell, Natsu was helpless as the next thing he knew, an explosion blew up from the hawks, engulfing him within the ghostly flamed sphere.

Panting from the exhaustion of magic, Bickslow weakly made his way off the tree he was leaning on and began to walk towards the burning Salamander.

"You won't be able to eat those flames, you know?" he weakly smiled, wincing slightly from his side wound and burns, "Those magic flames are made up of the dead souls of my dolls. Their a special type of flame even you won't be able to eat. Those souls are still alive, and you can't eat living magic."

Watching as the flames down and his dolls came back to fly around him, Bickslow was glad to see the Dragon Slayer in one piece. Battered, grimy, and bleeding with his transformation still up, but alive and breathing. Glad that he had stopped the rampaging mage, Bickslow was about to walk away back towards the soot covered Freed before his eye's widened, pain filling his mind from the black obsidian sword stabbing through the side of his chest.

Bickslow's eye's rolled to the back of his head, sliding back against Natsu's bladed fingers as blood flowed freely from his mouth.

"Bickslow!" Freed yelled in both despair and anger. The dark writing mage's eye's were dilated with rage as he suddenly found himself dashing towards his friend, his anger only growing watching Natsu scoff before flinging away the Siege mage carelessly like a rag doll.

Raising his rapier which glowed with dark purple runes that he was ready to slash at his chest with to stand up against the rage possessed Natsu, Freed was stunned as multiple flame like claws tore through the earth around him and aimed towards him. Dodging through the reaching flames while making his way towards Natsu with the intent to drive his sword through him, the green haired mage was caught off guard as one of the claws drove their fist into his stomach, jutting out of the ground before him. He fell back to the ground, panting from the loss of air before he found himselff being bombarded by the the assault of flaming fists. Freed closed his eye's, only hoping Bickslow had survived.

This fight was dragging on too long. Struggling to pick himself back up, Gajeel fought through the pain, watching by as Freed erupted in a pillar of fire with slanted eye's. They were getting thrown around like rag dolls by a dragon juggernaut with scorching magic at his disposal. No matter how hard they hit back, Natsu just walked it off and continued to rampage.

He hadn't completely turned into that beast from Edolas yet. Natsu was still in the process of slowly morphing into that thing, and from the looks of the the scales crawling up his neck to leave patches of dark red skin on his face, his transformation was almost complete.

Gajeel couldn't let that happen. A dragon was unstoppable. Their power was unmeasurable. They could level landscapes with their breath alone. Dragon Rage may of not been been the full power of an actual dragon, but its destructive potential was as close to an actual dragon's rage. And as much as Freed's runes had been helpful in keeping Natsu in, they would shatter from the immense magic output flowing off of Natsu, unable to cage the rampaging beast heading for its next destination.

Magnolia.

"Guess I have to end the training." Gajeel sighed as he began to build up magic power within in his right hand. Looking back towards the flaming pillar devouring Freed, the iron mage nodded his head, "Hold him back, Freed. Keep him distracted for as long as you can. Don't be afraid if you have to go full out against him."

Darkness blew back the pillar of flames, revealing Freed in a dark colored armor resembling a knight, black lightning surging off his fists, his eye's pitch black with a dim white light.

"_Yami no Ekurityuru: Zetsuei(Dark Ecriture: Absolute Shadow)_."

Blurring from sight, the now armored Freed blinked out from thin air right besides Natsu, an orb of azure lightning sparking madly, emptiness clear in his eye's.

"_Zettai Shogekiha(Absolute Shock Wave)_!" he roared, slamming the lighting spell into Natsu's abdomen, enveloping him within an orb of sparking magic. A soundless roar of pain left Natsu's mouth, his eye's shaking in from the intensity of the spell shocking his nerves.

Raising his plated knee for strike to his chin, Freed sent the Salamander flying off his feet, jabbing his elbow into his abdomen once again to smack him away into a tree, snapping it in half. Glancing back towards Gajeel, the dark knight nodded his head firmly, "I have no reason to hold back. As far as I care this isn't Natsu. This isn't the man who would never lay a hand against his nakama, let alone stab them through the chest." looking back towards the weakly standing beast that was once his nakama, Freed felt no remorse as he glared back with dull eye's of light, "I will release Natsu from his rage. I'll hold him off as long as I have too. As a pupil of Laxus, I will not fall before this beast!" he shouted determinately, holding up a bladed gauntlet of sparks.

* * *

_(Corridor of the Heart.)_

_Natsu vs. Jellal/Zeke_

_'. . . . . .'_

Those tears.

_'. . . . . .'_

Why? Why was she crying?

_'. . . . . .'_

She was suppose to be strong. Like a knight. A measuring stick for his potential and role model of a mage. She was his light. She was the only one who could soothe his rage.

_'. . . . . .'_

So why was she crying? Who could bring her voice to shake with such sadness and fear? Who could cause her such pain? Who was the bastard that dare brought those tears?

_'. . . . . .'_

". . . . . Erza. . ."

HE did that to her. He was the one who made her live in fear of her life and safety of her nakama. He was the one who had tormented her into wearing armor over her heart in fear of love. He was the one to take her from him to take her life for his own purpose. And must importantly of all, HE WAS THE ONE TO MAKE ERZA CRY!

"Y-You bastard." weakly picking himself up with shaking arms, Natsu glared up in complete anger at the blue haired Heavenly Body mage standing before him, his eye's completely devoid of emotion.

Jellal raised a curious brow at what he was seeing, smirking at the sheer will Natsu's was displaying. "Just like in the Tower of Heaven, you won't stay down, will you?" he sighed, actually impressed with the rose haired boy, "Give up. You won't win. You can barely stand, and neither Erza or Simon are here to save you from my magic. So just give up."

Watching from the sides with calculating eye's, Zeke waited curiously to see what happened next. This was more interesting then the last monk who had visited him. And that bastard was hella strong! But this was just too good. Drama always brought entertainment to Zeke.

Raising his foot up to stomp onto Natsu's skull, Jellal was surprised when the dragon mage caught his stomping foot firmly in his hands. Jellal quickly jumped far away from Natsu as flames erupted out from Natsu's battered body, lashing wildly at anything that got near him.

Stone bold eye's looked back at Jellal with fierce rage, the flames surrounding him forming an aura of magic in show of power.

"I won't ever forgive you." Natsu whispered hoarsely, struggling to hold himself back as he glared at Jellal, "You're the reason why Erza always cries! You're the soul reason for her tears! I swore to never let another tear fall from her strong eye's!" the flames took on the form of a roaring dragon, releasing a powerful roar that blew back everyone's hair as Natsu roared to the dark red heavens, "I SWORE!"

Jellal scoffed, crossing his hands above his head as he gathered magic for a spell Natsu was all too familiar with.

"If you really want to go on, then I'll have no choice to but to eliminate you now." the shadows under their feet began to draw towards Jellal, forming a small black orb with tiny lights resembling the normal night sky. Jellal smirked cruelly as the ball began to slowly expand in size before it grew to tower over his form. "This time, no one will be playing shield for you. Prepared to fall before my Heavenly Bodied Magic!"

". . . . Do you really think I haven't prepared for something like this to happen again?"

Jellal frowned. "What?"

Raising his hands up above his own head, Natsu clawed his hands as flames began to flow up in between his palms, forming a flaring ball of spiraling fire that whipped with flames. It grew in size until it matched Jellal's own spell, resembling a mini sun that glowed brightly all around them.

"I still remember that Simon gave his own life to protect Erza and me. But it was mostly for Erza. And he wouldn't of had to do that if she wasn't protecting me. I. . .can't even put into words the anger I felt for myself for being so weak that I needed someone to give their life's to save me." Natsu's eye's were shadowed as his voice cracked, a small tear leaving his eye as he replayed the memory. "Ever since then, I've been working on becoming stronger, so something as tragic as that will never happen again!" he glared back, the giant ball of fire shrinking down till it fit in between his palms.

"Never again will someone give their life to save mine! That's why I made this spell, so no one has to die to live!" Natsu roared.

"Really?" Jellal chuckled, grinning as he prepared to launch his spell. "Well then, let's see if it has the power to even save your own life first!"

Zeke smirked. "Well, this is going to be interesting."

"_Tentai Mahou: Altairis(Heavenly Magic: Dark Paradise)_!" Jellal shouted, throwing the mass of heavy, crushing gravity to carve a trench towards Natsu. The sphere of magic shattered everything in its path of destruction, looking as if a piece the sky had come to devour him.

Clapping his hands over the small ball of lashing fire, Natsu formed a jaw with his hands, releasing a giant fireball in the shape of a dragon like head to fire off from his thrusting palms. "_Mesturyu Ogi: Guren Eltanin(Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Crimson Lotus, The Zenith Star;Dragon's Head Impact)_!"

A collision of dense flames and dense gravity blew up in between the mages, waves of swamp and even earth flying from the impact of the deadly spells. Both mages fought to overpower the others dense mass of magic, the force kicking up a powerful gale of wind blowing away everything in between them, the very space stinging their skin from the tearing gust. Zeke was really impressed. These mages knew how to fight. It even seemed that they had developed their magic to the point of being able to kill. Although it saddened Zeke a bit. Magic was never meant to be used to kill. It was meant for helping others, to bring joy, and to bring light.

But even in his time long ago, magic was still being exploited for people's own use. Be it good or deadly.

Jellal struggled to push back Natsu's giant fireball, his Altairis spell creaking from the density mass matching of Natsu's flames.

"I-Impossible!" Jellal panted, the fierce struggle draining him of his magic energy and his stamina. "How is Altairis being stopped by your weak flames!?"

"Don't underestimate my flames. Or else you'll get burned alive." Natsu smirked, fighting through the odd feeling he was starting to sense from his head.

An explosion. A detonation of pure magic energy. Flashing the world into blinding light, the two large spheres of heavenly magic and fire dragon slayer magic blew up in an eruption of consuming light. Shielding himself from the powerful explosion in a pillar of black-blue magic, Zeke grinned at the spectacle he was witnessing. It was like watching a cluster of bomb lacrima all go off at once. The result was chilling yet amazing in its own beauty.

The two mages were lost within their own magical explosion, their fate lost within the destruction till they rolled out out in a smoking mess of burns and flames. Even Natsu wasn't safe from the fire created through the mix of their magic, being of a different property that he couldn't consume through normal means.

Zeke sighed, it looked like they had both passed out. That really was shame. Strolling his way towards the pink haired boy, Zeke paused as he reached his spot before the bleeding and dirtied Dragon Slayer. As much as he entertained him, the point of this test to overcome his anger. And it looked like he failed.

"Sorry kid." Zeke said solemnly, raising his crescent scythe in preparation to behead the dragon mage. "But you lost. Maybe in your next life you'll be able learn to overcome your rage."

A feeling of sudden numbness washed over Zeke's body, stunning him as his eye's widened in shock from the foreign yet familiar feeling. His scythe stopped its beheading, dropping to his side, his body completely frozen as a voice echoed inside the dark, twisted world.

_'I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that, Zeke-kun.'_

"Y-You bitch!" Zeke snarled furiously, a beam of pure white light dispersing the dark clouds over their heads, falling down in front of the beaten Dragon Slayer. The hooded man quickly jumped back from the beam as if he was almost struck with acid, hissing in deep loathing, watching with mad eye's as a figure stepped out of the pillar of light.

A women with curly long light golden hair stepped from out the light. She wore a long white dress that showed off her impressive figure and bust with frilly lined straps, her dress skirt teasingly ending close to her knee's by a few inches, two sword scabbards with crosses on the hilt hung from her hips by crossing belts over her waist. She was barefooted, golden chains wrapping around the top of her ankles, and her shoulders were protected by pure white winged armor. A beautiful necklace of a fanged moon and a brilliant sun was around her neck, the sight actually stopping Zeke's mad rage, turning to glare instead.

The blonde haired women looked young as he did, about in her mid-twenties. She had golden eye's with no pupils, looking softy towards the angered neutral mage. Her face heart shaped with a cute nose, a scar running down her left eye.

"Eileen." Zeke glowered, gritting his teeth in fury at the women he hadn't seen for nearly two hundred years. "What the hell are you doing here!?"

Eileen frowned sadly, biting down on her lip at the venom in the man's voice. After so many years, he still held the same loathing for her.

"You know why I'm here." she said softly, turning her head to look down at Natsu's passed out form.

Zeke scowled. "So, someone outside actually had the utter gall to use the sealing spell _Kibo no Kagi(Key of Hope)_. Those bastards. How did they know the one and only way of escaping my artifact without my permission?" he growled, grinding his boot into the ground in anger.

"How did they even get their filthy hands on your pendant anyways?"

"I don't know." Eileen shook her head, her eye's looking back at Zeke with a hint of smile on her face. "But you know what happens next. Although, it is good to see you again, Zeke-kun." she said happily, tilting her head to the side with closed eye's.

"The feelings not mutual." Zeke spat, Eileen sighing sadly at the anger he still possessed. "And what makes you think I'm just going to let you take him out of his failed test? You know the rules, if I deem you unworthy of reaching Enlightenment, you die. End of story. That's how it works!"

"But that's not right!" Eileen shouted back angrily, tears threatening to spill out her eye's. "You can see the light within this mage too! He's purer then any monk you've ever met that opposed violence. You shouldn't kill such an innocent person!"

"Innocent?" Zeke scoffed, gesturing to the dark world they were within. "Have you seen his Corridor of the Heart? It's been twisted by his grudge against this moron." he pointed behind himself towards the slowly standing Jellal, his eye's struggling to stay open. "Trust me, like all human beings, he has darkness within his heart. There is no such things as innocence." he said stoicly.

"That's not true. And I'll prove it to you." laying her hands onto Natsu's head before Zeke could even move to interfere her, Eileen went to work on sending the fire mage back into reality, the lower part of his body breaking down into grid like light as he began to exit the darkness.

"He'll be back to conquer his hate. I know he will and this time he'll know what to do." she smiled softly, her eye's turning towards Jellal who surprisingly had a look of regret upon his face. "Right?"

Jellal nodded solemnly, his eye's no longer clouded by evil. "Yes. He will. But for now, I'll return back into my original body which is still locked up in Era." fading away in a projection like buzz of static, the Heavenly Body mage nodded off towards both the entity's. "Till you call on me again. Thank you." he said with a small smile.

"You even brought someone from the outside world who he had hated to help out? You don't hold back, do you?" she bitterly smiled.

"No, I don't." Zeke growled, flashing out of sight in a dark light, reappearing over the blonde haired women with a snarl and his sickle ready to cut her head off. "Just as you're about to find out!"

"I'm sorry."

"Wha-" the image of the green eyed beauty disappeared in an afterimage of herself before Zeke's eye's, too stunned by the speed to even defend himself from the giant two sided hammer with sun like patterns ramming into his side. If his body was real, he was pretty sure his bones would have been shattered in an instant.

Falling back as the last of Natsu vanished into golden wisps of magic light, Eileen smiled sadly before the now un-hooded Zeke.

His face revealed the dark brown eye's of his original body, showing off a scar similar to the one on Eileen's face, only on running down his right eye. He had spiky shaggy black hair, one side straight, the other poking out in wild spikes. He was also young, a bit younger then Eileen, probably around 18 to 20 years old.

Eileen smiled happily seeing the face that had once brightened up her own world. Even through the look of complete hate in his eye's, she could still see the good Zeke had once worn on his sleeve.

"Y-You want to fight, huh?" Zeke panted from the painful blow, wiping some blood that had escaped his mouth with his sleeve. "Well then, bring it! We'll settle what we couldn't settle nearly a century ago right here before it fades away back into its original state!"

"Fine." Eileen said determinately, settling her pure white hammer against her shoulder even though it weighed a ton. "But this time, I'll make you see the error of your way's!"

Both beings of light and darkness glared at each other, not saying a word, only dashing towards each other with their weapons raised to beat some sense in the other, and to simply rid the annoyance from his sight.

* * *

_(Back Outside Natsu's body)_

Pillars of holy light with crossed tips blew out from Natsu's body, circling him within divine brilliance like a cage as Gajeel pulled back his silver-white glowing fist, a crystal clear pendant laid on his fore palm.

Natsu roared in blinding pain, the blood red scales crawling away from his body, slowly returning him back to normal with the exception of a couple of bruises and cuts. Falling back on his backside, Gajeel sighed in relief, sweating from the intense heat around him.

It was done. Thank god Urami came along with the pendant artifact _Suzu(Soothe)_ just in case they needed to end the spell early. Without it, Gajeel hated to say, but they would have been royally screwed.

Freed smiled weakly in relief, slumped against a burnt tree with Bickslow beside him, thankfully alive after the blade close to his organs. It was over. For now. Freed was just glad that Natsu was returning back to the carefree and reckless idiot that they all knew. He just wished that he hadn't gone completely out of control. The dark writing mage was definitely going to need little Wendy to look over their wounds, especially Bickslow. It was a miracle he had survived.

He smirked, "Even out of control, you don't have the heart to kill your nakama." Freed tiredly chuckled.

As the pillar of light died away into nothing, Natsu was left to fall onto his knee's, blinking through tired, blurry eye's, trying to get a grip on reality.

"W-Where the h-hell am I?" he gasped suddenly feeling like his body was tossed around by spiked hammers in a pinball game.

Chuckling weakly at the disoriented fire mage, Gajeel cleaned his bleeding lip as he answered with a tired grin, "You're back to the real world, lead head." he chuckled, stumbling into a coughing fit a moment later.

"You alright?" Natsu cringed, trying to move up to help his fellow Dragon Slayer. Falling back from the mental and physical trauma he had just suffered, Natsu could only try to crawl, sweating from the intense pain he was suffering.

Freed pushed himself off the tree bark with some effort, having suffered the same amount of damage as his nakama. He was lucky his magic allowed him to reflect some of the more dangerous spells or else he would have been too hurt to even stand straight. Glancing back at his friend Bickslow who he had patched up a bit with some runes with a mental reminder to take him straight to Wendy, Freed steadily made his way towards both Dragon Slayers.

"Don't strain yourself, Natsu." Freed advised, stopping by the panting Natsu. Looking up at the rune mage with bleary eye's, Natsu was surprised by the number of wounds covering his body. His whole outfit looked like it had been shred by some wild animal. It took the fire mage a second to realize that he was the wild animal that had tore through the tired and battered mage's.

Guilt struck the Dragon Slayer hard, the sight of Bickslow laying against a tree with his visor torn off, dried blood from a stab wound through his chest and burns covering over his exposed skin only worsening the feeling of having nearly killed his friends.

_'I. . . . I did this. Didn't I.'_ their was no doubt about it. He had lost control again and this time his friends had suffered for it. Tears pricked Natsu's eye's that he refused to let loose. This was all his fault. He couldn't control himself properly this time. He was truly a wild animal.

"Don't blame yourself, Salamander." finally gathering the strength to stand back up, Gajeel grunted, turning his eye's towards the grief stricken Natsu. He could faintly smell the hint of tears coming off him, scoffing at what it meant.

"We weren't completely prepared for what your berserk self was capable of. That was our bad and we suffered for it, big time." he bitterly chuckled, holding his right arm from a couple of lacerations made by Natsu's clawed blade. Standing in front of Natsu who's head was bowed, Gajeel gave a weak kick to one of his arms, causing him to collapse onto his stomach.

Gajeel shook his head at the sight. "Get up. We can always try again some other time, only we're going to be more prepared next time around."

Try again? After all the damage he had done to the area and on his own nakama? Natsu shook his head, gritting his teeth at the thought of going through all that again.

It wasn't just the guilt of hurting his friends that was eating away at him. Those memories Zeke showed him. They were too much. Especially the ones dealing with The Tower of Heaven. The thought of loosing Erza again tore away at his heart. Just thinking of going through those emotions again made Natsu grip the dirt tightly in his hands.

He didn't want go through the training again. Their had to be some other way to control his magic back to stability. Their just had to be.

"I-I. . . can't-"

"DON'T BE A WHIMP!" Gajeel sharply cut Natsu off, roaring in anger at what he was about to hear. The iron Dragon Slayer drove his fist roughly down on Natsu's head, his eye's wide in anger at the weak tone in his voice.

"Get over yourself, you stupid shit! Don't think of yourself so highly that you actually have the gall to think you can even kill us! You're basically calling us weak!" Gajeel gripped his fist tightly against his side, holding himself back from beating the crap out of the trembling mage.

This was the same guy who had gone on an on about the power of nakama and had beaten him during the Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail guild war? Pathetic. This guy wasn't the same Natsu who block his own dragon roar with his bare hands. He was weak piece of shit too scared to move on after one close call. He was a weakling.

Freed shook his head at the furious tone in Gajeel's voice, his eye's stoic as he looked at Natsu.

"Do not blame yourself Natsu." Freed closed his eye's, calling off the protective runes reaching a full mile and half circling them. "The beast we were fighting was not you. It was dark possession haunting your body in its weakest state. It may have had your face, but it was not you who had tried to kill us in a blind rage."

"Mr. Stiff's got a point." Gajeel nodded, ignoring the small glare Freed sent him. "The point of this training was meant for you to release all the magic power that's been building up inside of you since Edolas while you resolved the trigger of your anger. You got one out of two done with. All that's left is dealing with whatever fucked up shit is making you pissed and you're done."

"So, I'm just suppose to forget about what happened here?!" Natsu growled, shooting back up from lying helplessly to glare at both mages.

"I nearly killed you guy's! Have you seen Bickslow!? I did that to him! I could of stabbed through his heart and that would have been it! He would have been dead because of me!" he roared angrily.

"But you didn't!" Freed shouted back. "Even in that possessed state, your heart was still in their! Other wise Bickslow would be dead!" he stared back with stern eye's. "None of us blame you for what happened here. Certainly Bickslow wouldn't either. He would most likely laugh it off and make you buy him some lunch with beer." he chuckled.

"But," Natsu still argued.

"No buts." Gajeel scoffed. "A Dragon Slayer doesn't turn away from a challenge. Get over it. The sooner you done hosting your pity party for your self, the sooner we can all lick our wounds and see if we can try again tomorrow." looking towards the setting sun signify the end of the afternoon, Gajeel sighed, moving towards steadying Natsu with his help.

"Come on. The sunset is setting. It's time to head back to the guild." he ordered, Freed moving to carry Bickslow over his back.

Keeping himself quiet as they made their way out of the forest of Magnolia, Natsu couldn't help but ask one question that's been on his mind.

"What are we going to tell everyone when they see how fucked up we look?" Natsu asked with a raised eyebrow.

Gajeel shrugged. "Fess up? You can't hide your dirty little secret forever. Sooner or later they're going to catch on. Especially Titania. You can't hide jack shit from her."

"But then she'll kill me." Natsu said dryly with deadpanned eye's. "Erza's not exactly the type to leave my stupid actions unpunished."

"Yup. Don't forget about that ex-Fairy Hunter chick too. She's seems to be share Titania's personality and way of thinking. You'll have two scarlet monsters chasing after your dead ass."

"Great." Natsu sighed in defeat. "Just great. If I do tell them, I'm dead. If I don't them, I'm still dead because they're going to find out eventually, and then I'm dead. I can't win, can I?"

Freed hummed in thought. "It seems to me, telling them sooner then later will minimize the amount of punishment they'll deal out. Prolonging the news will only build up their anger, and that will mean that you'll be deader then most unfortunate mages who have crossed their paths."

"The guy's got a point." Gajeel nodded. "Better to tell everyone sooner then building up the pain. You're already fucked up as it is. They might just take it easier on you when they see how messed up you are."

Natsu grumbled to himself, already dreading going back into the guild hall.

"In the end, I'm still dead. Thanks, really. You guy's are the voice of reason." he said sarcastically.

"Don't mention it." Gajeel smirked proudly.

_'That was meant to be a joke, dumb ass.'_ Natsu thought with a sweatdrop.

Well, he was dead. Natsu knew that for sure. He might as well start up his will while he was at it.

_'I wonder if Happy will be happy with our home and a couple of dozen fish.'_

* * *

**The explosive fighting has ended!**

**For now.**

**With Natsu failing to understand the true purpose and solution to his grudge, the Dragon Slayer stumbled back home with a heavy heart. His anger has been found and it seems to be overwhelming to even someone as forgiving as him. How will he conquer his hate towards Jellal? Who exactly is Zeke, and who is this new strange entity within Natsu's Corridor of the Heart that can greatly anger Zeke with her sight alone?**

**These answers and the conclusion will all be answered next time on Dragon Bal-**

***Black hooded man with shaggy black hair randomly pops out of nowhere, decking the odd blonde haired man out of his dimension with a thundering thwack.***

**"Goddammit! How many times do I have to tell you to get the hell out!? This is my story announcement, not yours!"**

**. . . . And that's why you should never be late. Period. Weird shit tends to happen from time to time.**

**"Fuck you."**

**Not a chick, no thank you. Though I am devilishly handsome, aren't I?**

***Zeke's eye twitched madly, dryly looking up at the author.***

**". . . . I'm going to pretend to of not heard that. Narcissist."**

**Pfft. Whatever, freak.**

**Before things get weird, yes, Zeke is me. Kinda. He's more of an avatar really. A random little addition to the arc who had no name till I decided why the hell not? And in the end he came out as my avatar. Dark little bastard, isn't he?**

**"Your girlfriend was calling. Said she was going to be late working on her knee's in my auto shop. Trust me, there's going to be a lot of screwing, lubricating, sweating, grinding, and hands on work going on, if you know what I mean."**

**. . . . . I don't know where he gets it from. I swear. Dirty little monster, isn't he?**

**Anyway's, on to the story and messages.**

**To tell you all the truth, I was planning on making this chapter at least 20,000 words before releasing it this week. I actually had this part finished on Sunday. But seeing as I'll be really busy this week with school work and an interview for my first job, I decided to just cut off the second part that I was working on and finish around the end of the week.**

**I'm also still working on my harem stories. Their side projects really. And if I finish them I'll post them up with updates coming out from time to time. Gotta increase my stories a bit.**

**This arc so far is reaching its middle point, meaning it's half way finished. Next comes the real show. Can anyone say dark carnival circus?**

**"Yes, we can. We're all not dumb asses who can't even avoid getting hit by an ice cream truck in a school zone. Idiot."**

**I really don't like you. Which is me seeing as you're me in some twisted way.**

**What a world.**

**So, to conclude this A/N-**

**"What about A Time Before Fairy Tails? Haven't updated that in a while. Lazy bastard."**

**Shut it. Your ass is done anyways. Natsu's going to grill your ass black as night in the next chapter.**

***Zeke scoffs, picking his nose rudely.***

**"I'd like to see him try. I'm going to have me some well done Dragon Slayer chops when I'm done with him."**

**Forget him. *Sends Zeke away with a snap.***

**Anyways, to conclude this Author's Note, I have read all your interesting Cross over ideas, and I like some of them. Especially the Rosario+Vampire one. I can definetly write that into a pretty decent story with a few twists.**

**Feed me back some ideas though. It's nice to hear what my readers are thinking. Remember, it's not just your views that keep our stories going, it's your reviews.**

**And I'll get on writing A Time Before Fairy Tails when I'm done this half of the arc for those of you who read it. Though it seems not many of you read it seeing as its double chapter release received the less amount of reviews then its previous chapter which out did this stories review per chapter.**

***Sighs* It seriously made me feel like crap seeing as I spent a shit load of time working on them. Guess I just have to try harder next time.**

**Depressing thoughts aside, I also plan to fix up the previous chapters mistake in this story. To improve the story more seeing as I've grown a lot since I started a about five months back, I think. When I have the time I'll make sure to fix the mistakes.**

**Till then, read and review, it's common courtesy you know.**

**NeoShadows fading in and out.**

**(P.S. Remember to check out Venomous Reality. It's a good read.)**


	11. A Reason to Forgive

**Hello my loyal fans! NeoShadows back with a big chapter!**

**I'm not kidding. This bastard took me a whole week of ignoring my school work to finish once I got over writers block for this chapter. And it's probably my longest one yet. Full of action, some humor, and romance. And ending for a this arc before heading to the next. After the upcoming arc dubbed as 'The Phantom Parade' we'll head on over to the S-class exams where some big changes will happen.**

**Three months! Three months of waiting patiently and the sometimes heart wrenching plea to continue and update fast. I feel bad, but I have a family to take care of. Don't get me wrong, I'm a writer and I'm going to become one someday. This is me testing my growing skills for the future to see if I have what it take to writer my own stuff. I will never abandon a story without a very good reason. Then that would mean I have no chance of writing my own book, which I try to make time to write while writing this.**

**To the new and the old fans, thanks for waiting. Here's a long chapter as a gift from me to you.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Fairy Tail. Hiro Mashima does.**_

_**I ain't got time to write a manga as cool as Fairy Tail. My family comes first. Though I do get tired of my baby sister giving me a bloody lip with that damn bottle of hers. That girl has one hell of a swinging arm.**_

* * *

Chapter 11: A Reason to Forgive.

(Back at Fairy Tail)

"Gray-sama! Are you alright!?"

Gray sighed, wincing slightly as Juvia fretted over him. He wasn't that injured. Just a few scratches and cuts. Nothing to worry about.

"Son of a bitch!" Gray howled in pain, cradling his right arm against his chest, glaring weakly at Lucy who looked back at him with deadpanned eye's. Her finger having just poked his ice blue like burns crawling up his arms.

"Does it hurt?" she asked plainly with a raised brow.

"N-No. It's just a bruise." Gray weakly grinned.

". . . . . Poke."

"Mother Fuc-"

Erza quickly proceeded to cover Wendy's young, virgin ears from the foul language exiting the ice mage's mouth as the sky Dragon Slayer went to work on healing Gray's wounds. She sighed watching on as Juvia glared at Lucy, the Stellar Spirit mage not caring as she tried to help Gray who was shouting out in pain.

When Gray had stumbled into the guild he wasn't too injured. Just a couple of minor wounds from some intense looking training she guessed he was working. But it was the odd frost bite like burns over parts of his body that seemed to be causing him pain. That was new to Erza. She had never seen those types of burns before. Well, she did, and they were courtesy of Knightwalker. And Knightwalker confirmed that they were almost similar to her Blue Crimson spells from her Ten Commandments.

She had been wondering where he had gone. At least that answered one of her questions. Erza bit her lip thinking back to where Natsu might be.

Asking Gray where he might be hadn't revealed any answers. Just like the master, he had kept silent. Which only meant that he might of known where the Dragon Slayer could have been. For some reason, everyone who might of remotely had a clue to where Natsu may have been seemed to keep it a secret for their own good.

That didn't make any sense. Why would it better to keep away from Natsu of all people? He could be reckless sure, but that was Fairy Tail. They had all caused reckless destruction from time to time. I didn't make sense to stay away from him.

Erza shook her head tiredly. Secrets were being kept from not just her, but everyone in the guild. And they seemed to be centered around Natsu.

"I'm so bored." Knightwalker pouted, sitting beside the bar with the others as they worried over the ice alchemist, the blue Exceed always following around Natsu agreeing with her from his spot on her head.

"Aye! Besides watching as Gray cries like a baby over some baby scratches, there's nothing to do."

"Shut it, Happy! Don't think you'll go around telling Natsu about this either!" Gray shouted back annoyed at the blue cat.

"Goddammit Gray! At least keep your clothes on while we're bandaging you up!" Lucy shouted in embarrassment, suddenly seeing a little too much of her friends 'dignity'.

"How the hell does that keep happening!?"

Knightwalker sighed, patting Happy on the head. "I wonder where Natsu might be?" the pony tailed scarlet mused, wishing the rose haired mage was there to amuse her.

"He might be out training like Gray was." Happy shrugged, munching on a new fish Mira had just given him. "I just wished he told me before he left. I was flying around half of Magnolia looking for him before coming to the guild. Hopefully he'll come back just like Gray did."

"He better not." Knightwalker lightly growled. "I don't want to see him stumbling back a beaten mess from whatever he was up to. I want to go out to dinner tonight, and I can't have my date looking a mess."

"You're going to ask him out!?" Happy gaped in shock.

"Correct." Knightwalker smirked. "And I'm not taking no for an answer."

"What about Erza? I don't think she'll like that."

"Please." she scoffed, not noticing a shadow over here with glowing red eye's, "Like that old bag could stop me from having what I want."

"Who you calling old bag, Knightwalker?" Erza growled menacingly, catching her twin by surprise as she looked back at her with wide cat like eye's in surprise.

". . . . . Mercy?" Knightwalker sweated nervously.

"I'm sorry, we're all out of mercy."

Just as the guild hall was ready to break out into another wild brawl, the doors to the guild flew open loudly to reveal four of the missing mage's they had been searching for, tiredly stumbling forth inside with more then training wounds over their body.

"Natsu!" Happy shouted in panic, seeing his pseudo father visibly struggle to walk with dried blood, gashes, bruises, and grime all over him. He looked he had gotten out of a fight with a mob of mages. And he didn't even have the usual triumphant grin was always plastered on his face after a fight. Something was wrong.

The entire guild moved forward to help their injured nakama, the sight of some of the strongest currently in the guild too wounded to even make a few steps into the guild shocking them to the core.

Team Natsu quickly bolted from their seats to catch the fire Dragon Slayer who collapsed alongside Gajeel and Freed, dropping the critically injured Bickslow with them. Erza and Knightwalker quickly caught Natsu in their arms, worry clearly written all over their face seeing his battered state. Lucy went off to help Team Phantom Gear with Gajeel seeing as the two scarlet's already went for Natsu, Gray couldn't help without his arms flaring up with frostbite, Juvia keeping the ice mage down forcibly. The Strauss siblings went along with helping the two members of the Thunder God Tribe along with Evergreen, being careful with Bickslow seeing the alarming amount off blood leading from a stab wound in his chest.

Moving through the crowd surrounding the injured mages, Makarov stopped right in front of Gajeel who was being supported by Jet and Droy. He frowned, already knowing what their conditions meant.

"So, he failed?" Makarov sighed.

Gajeel chuckled, fighting through the weakness in his eye's as he looked up at the master. "I guess you could say that. We resolved his magic problem to a more stabled state, but we still have to solve his other problem before he loses control again."

"I see." the master frowned before being brought out of his thoughts by the new member of their guild.

"What the hell happened!?" Knightwalker loudly yelled, the sight of seeing Natsu greatly upsetting. She moved her eye's towards the short master and the iron Dragon Slayer with anger clear in her eye's.

"You two." she growled, quickly being held back from Erza from bringing harm to the two mages. "What happened to Natsu!? Why does he look he was nearly torn apart!?"

"Master?" Levy questioned softly, her eye's tearing up from the sight of Gajeel.

"Mira-san! Can you go get me a few rags and bandages to patch up and clean Bickslow-san's wounds? I have to stop the bleeding quickly before he turns critical!" Wendy shouted as she tried to use her healing magic to fix the deep stab luckily missing his organs.

Happy sniffed, hugging tightly onto Natsu's bloodied, torn up waistcoat. He looked even worse then he did after the mess with Oracion Seis.

Natsu sighed at all the voices ringing inside his head. He really wasn't in the mood for all this crap. After everything he just went through, he needed a long rest, a good warm meal, a bath, and them more sleep. The Fiore dream.

Trying to keep his feet from buckling over as he tried to support himself up, Natsu loudly cleared his throat to catch everyone's attention.

"It's not their fault." he said firmly, fighting back from the discomfort in his wobbly legs. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine." he admitted ashamedly.

Erza frowned at the guilt in Natsu's voice, "What are you talking about Natsu? And this time tell me, no." she shook her, gesturing to the entire guild. "Tell us what's going on. You've seemed different since you came back from Edolas."

Gajeel scoffed, resting against the bar as his guild mates worked on bandaging his injuries.

"Good luck getting the idiot to tell you the truth." the iron Dragon Slayer chuckled. "He's stubborn as a bull."

Natsu looked down with guilt, "I kinda went ape shit back in Edolas while I was fighting Faust, giving away ten years of my life from the transformation I used to cripple Doroma Animu." he laughed awkwardly.

"Never mind. He's a sadist."

"WHAT!?" both Erza and Knightwalker shouted in anger before turning their eye's to the flinching Dragon Slayer.

Natsu sighed, nodding his at the two angry scarlet's. "Yeah, I gave away ten years of my life and nearly died back in Edolas okay!" he shouted loudly for everyone to hear. "But who cares? I ended up saving everyone and stopped Faust. Does it really matter that I gave away ten measly years of my life?"

The second those words had left his mouth, a loud smacked resounded off the walls of the guild, everyone watching with shocked expressions as Natsu was slapped with enough force to send to the other side of the guild where he laid in pile of broken stools and tables.

Erza stood furiously, her hand stretched out from striking the fire mage, her body shaking from suppressed anger.

"What the hell are you saying!? What do you mean it was only ten measly years of your own life!?" she shouted, tears threatening to spill from her eye's.

"You're saying that you don't care that you gave away years of your life that you could of spent with your nakama just for some stupid fight!? Are you really so stupid Natsu?!" she cried angrily.

"Don't forget about the going ape shit into some beast that would burn down Magnolia at any moment crap either." Gajeel helpfully added.

Natsu winced, "Thanks a lot. Really."

"Don't mention."

". . . . . I don't like you."

"Feelings mutual."

"Alright, will someone mind telling me what's going on?" Lucy frowned. She still wasn't getting what they were saying. How could someone just give away years of their life anyway.

And so Natsu began to tell them the story of what happened back when he was fighting Doroma Animu with Gajeel explaining the effects of eating his own fire. To say they were horrified with the end results was saying that Happy didn't like fish. It was unbelievable. They had no idea that eating their own magic was so harmful. Though it really shouldn't of surprised them that it ended up being Natsu of all people that had broken the forbidden taboo. The fire Dragon Slayer was known to do almost anything to protect his friends.

Erza was still furious with Natsu, though her anger had dwindled a bit after she had heard him loose control of himself after he thought she and Knightwalker had died. In a way it was her own fault. If she hadn't been so blinded back there the she wouldn't of been caught within Faust's attack.

But that still didn't excuse the selfish, reckless act of eating his own flames for a power boost.

"After we finally knocked some common sense into the idiot, we came up with a drastic training technique almost similar to mine, not using true dragon magic." Gajeel explained, now feeling a bit better to stand on his own. He was still hurting, but his wounds were already bandaged and patched up. All that was left was some time to rest and they'd all be as good as new.

"Basically it was designed to use an old ancient artifact known as Urami, to help unleash all the pent up magic growing unstable within his magical container."

Lucy frowned, the name peaking her interest, "Urami? I think I've read about that artifact before." she mused in thought.

"Really Lu-chan?" Levy looked to the side to see the spirit mage thinking.

"Yeah." she nodded as she thought back, "Though the item was also known as Neutral Enlightenment. It's actually a really depressing spell and artifact judging from its origin. It was meant to enlighten the mage's mind to a more free state."

"What do you mean depressing?" Natsu asked curiously, sitting by Knightwalker as she finished the last of his bandages.

"It's depressing because the mage who made it gave his life just so people could attain peace." Lucy frowned, "The mage's name was known Zeke Gagetsu, a mage who could make anything out of Nothing magic. From the book I read about ancient mage's, he was once a wondering young mage, only 10 years old when he had set foot on the road. The book detailed his life as young mage who spent his time teaching others to seek peace and love, always helping others in need without anything in return."

"That sounds hard to believe." Natsu grumbled, just remembering the dark bastard made him sick.

"When he was twelve, Zeke stopped in a distant town from Magnolia, Era, back when the magic council wasn't around. That's where he met another mage under the command of the king back then named Eileen Hikari, a magic knight. It was actually a really good love story now that I think back on." Lucy smiled, "They met when they were young, Zeke being saved from a wild mob of bandits by the knight, who wound up hurt from the clash, leaving Zeke with no choice, but to fight back even though it went against his oath to peace. He ended up saving her life, creating a bond between them that eventually grew into something more as the years went by, Zeke stopping by Era every few weeks just to talk to Eileen. They fell in love when Zeke was eighteen, Eileen being five years older then him when a big fight in the kingdom forced him to leave behind his peaceful teachings to fight for his love. But unfortunately, nothing was fine after that." she frowned sadly.

"The Nothing magic that he used eventually grew to make him emotionless, the fight that saved Eileen's life breaking the last emotions he had for the world making him what people called a being of nothing. He wasn't the same after that. He spent the rest of his time seeking peace and an end to war, spending less time with Eileen as the time went by. Eventually, Eileen tried bringing him out of his void of nothing, hoping to bring back the boy she had fallen in love with. But nothing worked. They had a falling out that scarred them, greatly angering Zeke for the first time since losing his emotions. In the end, Eileen brought his emotions back, but at the cost of him hating her forever for ruining is perfect state of peace. Years went by and the two never spoke again. It wasn't till Zeke created the artifact Enlightenment that Eileen ever saw him again. Not much was known after that other then many monks trying to use the item to reach nirvana, many of them failing at the cost of their life."

"That's a really sad story." Mira sniffed, the story easily moving her to tears.

"Men don't make women cry!"

"I'm not a man!" Lucy shouted back at Elfman, "I'm a girl, and I didn't mean to make Mira-chan cry!"

Sighing after hearing the story of the hooded man with the scythe, Natsu still didn't see why he had ever gone dark such a dark world. To think he even bad mouthed the way he did things.

"The item was meant to seek peace of mind." Lucy stated, looking back Gajeel with confusion in her eye's, "So why did Natsu need to use it? I don't think he's after Enlightenment."

"He's not suppose to find enlightenment." Gajeel explained while agreeing with the blonde, "It's suppose to help him get over a grudge he has for a certain person in mind that could actually bring him to the point of killing them out of hate. It's his trigger point that can cause him to lose control of his magic and hurt others. That's why we're using Urami. To get over his grudge."

Now Erza was interested. Of all the people she had known, Natsu was the last person she would of suspected to hold such a powerful grudge against anyone.

"You can actually hate someone?" Gray rose a brow curiously towards the fire mage.

Natsu scowled, not wanting to talk about it.

"It's none of your business." he said harshly, gripping his raggy pants angrily from remembering Jellal's laughing face. "This is my problem and I'm going to get over it on my own." he practically growled, catching the eye of Erza. He flinched before shaking his head from the sudden images bombarding his mind of her death, something that didn't go unnoticed by the Titania.

"But we're your friends Natsu." Lucy frowned, "Doesn't that mean anything?"

"Not when it comes to something I can deal with on my own." he shot back up, quickly thanking Knightwalker for patching him up while Wendy was still healing Bickslow.

"Where do you think you're going, Natsu?" Erza asked sternly as Natsu made his way out of the guild.

"Home. I need time to think on my own. Sorry, Happy." Natsu apologized to the sad blue Exceed who floated in the air where he sat. It was obvious from his tone that he wanted to be alone.

"So you're not going to tell us why you're so angry even though we're your friends?" Erza said coldly, gripping her gauntlet clad hand in frustration, "Even though we could help?"

"Help?" Natsu paused outside the door, his eye's wide with anger.

"Did you see what I did to Gajeel, Freed, and Bickslow!? I nearly killed them if they hadn't stopped me! Do you really think you can all help me when I don't even care about hurting any of you when I lose control!? Forget it! I rather do this by myself!" he shouted before running out the guild.

"Natsu, wait!" Happy yelled out to his friend, moving to fly after him if it wasn't for the master.

Makarov looked up at the Exceed with stern eye's as they all watched the fire Dragon Slayer disappear off into the setting sun.

"Let him go. When anger consumes us, it's best to be left alone for awhile before any of us ever seek help. Anger can be troublesome thing. Sometimes we just need time to stew on the matter before we can ever let go of the grudge that eventually takes over." patting the small blue cat, Makarov moved to help attend to the injured mages.

"Now let's take Bickslow off to the hospital. While I don't think little of Wendy's skill in healing magic, the wound he had suffered looks like it would need more then magic. The rest of you idiots don't look like you'll need anything close to surgery, so relax and take some rest for now. We'll sort all this out in the morning."

The guild was still worried over the unusually sensitive pink haired mage, but listened to the master. As much as they wanted to know what was eating at Natsu's mind they needed to help out their friends first. Besides, knowing the fire mage he'd fix whatever was going on eventually.

Erza didn't budge. She knew Natsu too well to understand the importance of his grudge. He wasn't the type to feel hatred to anyone. Even his enemies he forgave. And those he didn't he beat up till they weren't a problem anymore. It just didn't make any sense. Who could be capable of causing such seething dark anger to manifest within Natsu's heart?

She wanted nothing more then to help Natsu with his hatred, but approaching him when he was like this wasn't such a good idea. He was too angry to listen to even her words it seemed.

Erza sighed, massaging her aching head at the problem at hand. Why wasn't anything dealing with Natsu ever simple?

Moving to the others with the injured the scarlet haired knight seemed to miss the presence of her Edolas counterpart inside the guild.

* * *

Natsu grit his teeth, doing his best to keep from exploding into another fit of scorching rage, but when the lives and safety of your friends weighed heavily on your mind from the threat of yourself rendering them all to ash, you tend struggle to hold yourself back.

Walking along the river bank running alongside a bridge he had often found Lucy walking by, Natsu let out a heavy sigh, his mind clouded with the day's events.

Well, that was all a train busting bust. The thought of nearly killing his guild mates didn't help either. How the hell was he suppose to control his anger when the moment he stepped over the line he'd go berserk, transforming into that blood lusting demon again? There definitely was no way in hell Natsu was going to go through all that again. Didn't matter what Gajeel or the master said, he wasn't taking another chance of hurting his friends.

"Dammit it all!" he lightly shouted, sending a pebble flying off into riverbank. Natsu pulled his hair in frustration, a tick mark bulging angrily, "Why does everything have to be so hard?! At least when I ate Etherion I didn't have to worry about losing control! I was just passed out for a couple of days! Why can't this be as easy as that!?"

If it wasn't for Freed quickly activating the rune seals on his back from gaining access to his magic the riverside would have been up in flames from his scorching tantrum.

Ready to tear off a chunk of earth from under his feet in anger and throw it off into the waters by him, Natsu was stopped from his destructive tantrum by a familiar voice cutting through his senses.

"Something on your mind, Natsu?" the voice said amusingly.

Forgetting his anger as he turned his neck back to find the scarlet pony tailed mage in her skull black T-shirt and short jeans, Natsu couldn't help but be surprised at the sight of Knightwalker.

"Erza? What are you doing here?" Natsu frowned as he calmed down.

Knightwalker shrugged her eye's moving towards the beautiful setting sun on the horizon of the river.

"Just thought I'd come to see how you were doing. You left the guild rather frustrated, worrying most of the guild with the sudden change of attitude you've been going through lately."

Natsu bit his cheek. Okay, maybe he had dropped the ball a little awhile back when it came to telling them all of his mistake in Edolas. Getting angry with all of them for wanting to help him control his new unstable power also didn't help. He sighed, taking a seat near the edge of the waters beside him, his eye's creased up in frustration from the heavy burden weighing on his conscious.

A dead silence clouded the two mages, neither saying a word till Knightwalker choose to break the silence.

"Does this have something to do with Scarlet?"

Seeing the Dragon Slayer's shoulder stiffen Knightwalker let a small knowing smirk escape her lips.

Knightwalker wasn't blind. She could practically feel the tension in the air when they had explained the source for his sudden change in behavior was due to his grudge. He was gripping his dirtied raggy pants in restrained fury the whole time, the anger that had consumed him still in his system and only growing as they talked about it. She was sure if it wasn't for Freed's rune magic that the guild would have been up in flames from the intensity of his anger.

And the look Natsu had in his eye's when he had laid eye's on Erza wasn't easy to not notice with her well trained eye's. That was the look of fear, sadness, and crushing guilt. All well hidden behind his anger. Knightwalker was sure even her counterpart had seen through all the anger he had been displaying and seen the guilt written all over his face.

The only question was why? Why did he wear such a look of heavy guilt? What exactly happened to the grinning Dragon Slayer to cause such grief?

Knightwalker sighed, "You can't suppress it you know." she said firmly, memories of when she had been a captain in Edolas surfacing, "It isn't healthy. Holding back how you truly feel. It only ends up twisting you into something you don't want to become."

Natsu dug his fingers into the dirt. It was too late for that. He was already twisted into a monster. What did it matter if he shut his feeling from his guild? At this point it better if he left the guild to save them from his wild state.

"What's with that look of self-loathing?" Knightwalker softly chuckled seeing his eye's darken in anger. "It isn't like you to be so angry. It's completely opposite of the man of hope that had freed me from my own darkness.

Eye's slightly softening towards the red headed women sitting beside him, Natsu couldn't stay mad for long. It was odd. How she could calm his brooding mood. Just like Erza. The thought made Natsu smile a bit.

They weren't so different it seemed.

Natsu heavily sighed. No matter how much he tried to hide away his problems his friends wouldn't budge. He was pretty sure they would of pestered him non-stop till he yelled out the reason for his grudge if he stayed back at the guild. Guess this was how they felt when they had problems. Natsu smirked a bit at that. Guess he was just as annoying as they were too.

". . . I'm sorry."

"Hmm?" Knightwalker hummed.

"I said I'm sorry." Natsu bitterly smiled. "Sorry that I was shouting at everyone for wanting to help me. I know it wasn't the right thing to do, but I was still angry about what had happened in and outside of my mind. The monster inside of me didn't listen to all your voices, it only shouted back in anger."

He was sorry about that? Knightwalker smiled softly at the rose haired mage, looking down sadly at the way he had treated his nakama moments ago. What an idiot.

"You don't have to apologize to me, it's the others who're more worried then I am. Especially Scarlet." she chuckled remembering the look of worry behind her calm demeanor, "She's even more worried about you then I am. But that's just because I don't think something as small learning to control your new power would be too hard for someone like you. I wholeheartedly believe you'll be able to control the dragon inside." she smirked.

"You do?" said Natsu slightly stunned, "How? I mean I lost control the last two times and nearly killed Bickslow. Who knows what I'd do next the next time I lose control of temper?" he muttered depressingly before a sharp slap to his head made him shout out in pain.

"Ow! What the hell was that for!?"

Knightwalker huffed as she looked away from the teary Dragon Slayer.

"Tch, what happened to you? I know you're afraid of hurting your friends again, but I was under the impression that you were a strong mage who wasn't afraid of anything. Guess I was wrong." she sighed as she checked for dirt in her nails, smirking inwardly when she saw Natsu open his mouth to shout back.

Natsu quickly closed his mouth, frowning deeply. This was usually the part where he would shout back that he wasn't afraid of anything, but for some strange reason he couldn't do it. He grit his teeth angry at himself for suddenly being so weak.

This wasn't like him. If Igneel ever saw him in such a state he would scoff and shake his head in disappointment.

But could anyone really blame him for feeling cautious of going into that mad state again after hurting and nearly killing their friends? Just thinking back to how close he had come to killing them all made Natsu's gut wrench into a painful knot. All because he couldn't control his anger against Jellal.

Jellal.

Natsu openly snarled in memory of the blue haired bastard. It was all his fault he had become this out of control demon in the first place. Digging his fingers into the dirt Natsu couldn't help but growl thinking back to their fight inside his mind.

Knightwalker frowned in worry watching Natsu seethe in deep anger, his body shaking in fury in whatever memory was playing within his mind. To think he could ever posses such a hateful loathing look on his face. It was completely opposite of his sunny, dumb attitude.

She didn't like it. The man who had saved her life and brought her with him to start anew wasn't like this. Full of hate and self-loathing, it was nothing like the man who had captured her heart with a goofy grin.

To caught up in his anger for Heavenly Body mage Natsu didn't notice the pair of arms coming over his neck till he was pulled into Knightwalker's body, his eye's broken from their anger to look in confusion of Erza's twin.

"Let it go. Whatever is troubling you to cause you so much anger, just let it go. All it will do is feed the demon inside of you till you lose control of your emotions again." Knightwalker said softly as she hugged the Dragon Slayer from behind, her face beside the crook of his neck.

Natsu's brow furrowed together, his body trying desperately to fight back against the wave of boiling emotions, doing his best not show off the hostility he felt from the memories playing inside of him.

"You don't understand. That bastard. . . that bastard tried to kill her! He used her like she was just some play thing! And just as worse, he made her cry. CRY! How?" he couldn't take it anymore. The memories refused to stop now that they were in motion. The memory of losing Erza because he was too weak to do anything still as fresh the pain he felt during those heart wrenching moments she had sacrificed herself. And the day's events only piling onto his burden, starting to finally break away at his emotions.

"How!? How the hell do you let something like that go! How do get over the fact you were too weak to protect someone who meant the world to you go!? HOW!?"

The earth cracked and broke apart as Natsu smashed his fist through ground in anger and confusion, his body practically trembling with raw emotions he tried to hold back in fear of losing control again.

Dammit, dammit, dammit! This wasn't like him at all! He was stronger then this. Way strong! How else would he of protected his nakama if he was weak? How else was he going to one day surpass Erza if he was weak? How else would he find Igneel if he was weak? Of all the things he had done, why was this the one thing that was breaking him down into a pathetic mess? Nothing made any sense!

WHY DID HE HAVE TO BE SO WEAK!?

"Snap out of it!"

**SMACK**

Not even realizing that Knightwalker had released him from her hug Natsu was unprepared for the hard, stinging slap to the left side of his cheek to send him falling to the side of the river where he felt the rush of cold water engulf him. Quickly rising back up from the water Natsu gasped for fresh air as wiped his mouth from spitting out some water that had went into his mouth, only to freeze.

Knightwalker stood before the river belt with her right hand outstretched from smacking his face, her eye's teary from having had to slap someone she had seen in such high respect and shaking from the anger she felt at the sight she saw.

"What the hell's the matter with you!? Huh!?" she shouted, shaking her head as Natsu continued to stay still, the sight of seeing her tears having the same affect as seeing Erza tears.

"I don't know what you're talking about and I don't know who 'he' is, but I know it's pathetic if you can't even get over the past! Because that's what it is, the past! Get over it!"

She was sick of seeing him like this. Knightwalker had enough. If Erza had seen him like this she was sure she would of done the same. If only a bit more rougher with her swords. But she knew that she wouldn't of wanted to see him in such a sorry sight. They both loved him too much to bear to watch him struggle with his emotions.

"Titania got over it, didn't she? And if she did, then it was for good reason. You must of gotten over it too until now! Otherwise none of them of been so surprised with your change of attitude. You're dwelling too much into the past, let it go! Because if you can't. . . because if you can't. . ." the scarlet haired women gripped her shoulder's, hugging herself as she tried to stop the tears streaming down her face from the pain she was feeling as she struggled to end the sentence.

"Because if you can't, then I can't consider someone as weak and pathetic as you as my nakama!"

Natsu's heart stopped, his face frozen in shock as water dripped down his face, trembling from the words that had cut right through his heart. Knightwalker's tears rolled down her face as her face scrunched up in pain, the very words she had said having had hurt just as much as they hurt the pink haired Dragon Slayer. They both stared at each other till Knightwalker couldn't take the look he had on his face anymore. She shook away the tears before turning away from the man who had given her another chance at life, glancing back at him one last time before running off.

Snapping out of his shock Natsu felt himself consumed by his emotions, an unbearable pain suddenly taking him in as he fell to his knee's before tears slid down his cheeks.

Why?

"D-Dammit!"

Waves of water blew up violently in the wake of his anger as he punched the shallow riverbanks stream, flames flowing from his arm powering his fist. Showered by the waves Natsu tried to grit back the pain and sorrow eating away at him only to fail as he continued to unleash his anger onto the riverbank.

Why? Why was he suddenly so weak! This wasn't like him! And now he had lost one of his nakama because he was so weak and pathetic. That hurt him worse then anything else. That one of his own friends couldn't stand to see him look so weak. He couldn't protect them like this. He wasn't worth being a candidate for the S-class exams. And he didn't even deserve having nakama if he couldn't even protect them from himself.

He was weak.

"WHY THE HELL AM I SO PATHETIC!"

"You're not weak."

'What the hell?' A large, cold metallic hand suddenly found itself holding back the fire mage's destructive fist, a powerful aura bringing his senses back from his breakdown. The presence felt all too familiar as Natsu turned around to find Fairy Tail's ace behind his soaked, bandaged form.

Gildarts looked down at his fallen friend with a hint of pride in his eye's that confused the Dragon Slayer. Why would he look at him like that? Wasn't he disappointed with the way he was acting? How he was suddenly losing control of his emotions? Why did he look almost proud that he was breaking down into a violent rampage again?

Letting go of Natsu's fist as it dropped to the stream with a splash Gildarts patted the rose haired boy on the back as he grinned a small grin of pride.

"You're learning your fear."

Standing back up Natsu looked back at the Crash mage in confusion.

"I'm learning my fear? But I'm not afraid!" he shouted back in anger before looking down, shutting his eye's as he shook in anger at himself.

"I just don't want to hurt anyone anymore! I don't wan to lose control again and kill one of my friends this time! And I don't want to lose my friends because of how weak I am! I'm-"

"Afraid." Gildarts nodded firmly as he crossed his arms over his chest. Natsu shook his head, glaring back at the older mage before he cut him off with a glare of his own.

"Don't deny it." he said seriously. "No matter what you tell yourself you're afraid. You fear hurting your friends and family. You fear losing control over your new powers. And you're afraid of losing those close to you because you're afraid. But there is nothing wrong with that." he smiled gently as he ruffled the boy's head, getting an annoyed growl out of Natsu before he stepped away.

". . . . Why are you even here?" Natsu asked warily as he looked at the sheepish orange haired man in suspicion. The guy had literately popped out of nowhere.

Gildarts laughed in embarrassment as he looked away. Truth was that he just wanted to spy on the drama. What could he say? He was bored. The man pouted childishly. He was left out of the action too. Yes, the fact that he tended to lose control over magic from time to time did make sense that he couldn't really join in keeping Natsu in line while he was training was mentioned and that the chaos brought up from their fight would catch peoples attention. But he still wanted something to do while he was in Magnolia.

Not that flirting with the towns women wasn't an option. They couldn't get enough of the Crash mage. Gildarts smirked to himself. Yeah, he was awesome. And that caught the ladies attention no matter what town he visited.

But this was more important. Knowing the apparent Dragon Child since he was reckless kid which still hadn't changed much Gildarts knew that Natsu needed someone to guide him into the right direction. He practically considered himself a father figure to all of Fairy Tail's children just like Master Makarov saw them as his own grandchildren. It was up to them to help their children with whatever they were struggling with.

And it seemed that he had caught Natsu at just the right time as he was starting to understand his own troubled emotions. And a very important one at that.

Fear.

Natsu was the love fighting idiot with a brain that made goldfish seem smart. No offense to the boy, but he could be an idiot. Especially when it came to love and such. Gildarts shook his head at the thought in bafflement. The Crash mage couldn't even understand how Natsu could be so oblivious to the two scarlet twined mages who were clearly head over heels for him. It still surprised him that Erza was even in love with Natsu. If they ever did get together and did the deed, the kids born from those two would send the guild into shambles.

Natsu was many things. But one thing he refused to admit was that he too could be scared. That had an once of fear in him. He was too proud to admit it. And it was that little thing that was holding him back from becoming as strong as him and the other S-class members in the guild.

With a sigh Gildarts looked back at Natsu with fatherly eye's as he spoke.

"Don't feel ashamed of it. Fear is natural for all of us. Even as hard it's sounds since I'm such a manly man I can be afraid." he chuckled, getting a sweatdrop from Natsu before he coughed into his fist, "Well, yeah. But you shouldn't be afraid of being afraid."

"But I told you I'm not afraid!" Natsu argued stubbornly.

Gildarts rose a brow curiously, "Then what are you? What's keeping you from finishing your training?"

At that Natsu quickly shut his mouth as he looked away in shame.

He wasn't afraid! But. . . what was he? Natsu gripped his fists tightly in frustration. He was weak, but he wasn't afraid!

"Fine. If you're so brave, then fight me. Here and now."

Natsu's head shot up so fast that he was he had nearly gave himself whiplash as he met Gildarts serious eye's in shock. Was he for real?

Gildarts nodded, completely serious, "If you're not afraid, if you honestly believe you can learn to control your unstable magic power without the training and getting over your hate, then fight me with those fists without an once of fear in them. I'm dead serious." he said as he uncrossed his arms to stand imposingly over him.

"Don't fuck with me!" Natsu roared angrily, "We can't fight here! What if we hurt someone or break something!"

"You're worried about causing destruction?" Gildarts chuckled before sighing sadly as he moved his arm, catching Natsu's attention as sirens rang in his head.

"Fine. I'll start."

No sooner had those words left his mouth did Natsu feel a blinding white pain shot out from his stomach from the wicked punch to his gut. A gale was blown up, dispersing the water around the two mages as Natsu was sent rocketing off his feet a few yards from Gildarts outstretched fist. Gildarts cape flapped from the force of the impact as he watched the Dragon Slayer break through a little bridge over the riverbank, crumbling it into chunks before skidding on his back on the shallow bank.

Natsu coughed up spit from the hit, gingerly holding his recovering stomach, a bruise already starting to form from the blow, his eye's weakly glaring at the no-nonsense look on Gildarts face who stared back at him unflinchingly at what he had just done.

Monster. That was the first thing that came to Natsu's mind after taking the hit. He almost forgot how strong the old man was. No way in hell was he going to get hit again.

Is what he thought before being sent crashing into the streets by a hard kick to the gut again. Thankfully the streets were empty seeing as it had turned into night without them noticing. Or else they would of borne witness to enraged look over Natsu's face as he snarled angrily at the S-class mage, a trickle of blood running down his chin.

"What the hell's your problem!" Natsu shouted, boiling with rage before his eye's widened, quickly dodging the falling fist. The ground was crushed by the falling blow, completely breaking the ground into blocked debris that showered Natsu.

Dodging a swing to his face, Natsu decided to fight to keep from getting anymore hurt. You couldn't run away from someone like Gildarts. It was like running away from a colossal demon. There was no chance of escape.

"_Karyu no Tekken(Fire Dragon's Iron Fist)_!" with a loud roar of anger Natsu swung flaming fist into Gildarts, only to miss and have his arm caught in a lock by the veteran mage's arm.

"Come on! Put some real heart into it!" swinging him around over his head like windmill, Gildarts tossed the sickly green faced mage away into a closed fruit cart.

He shrugged at the damage. Who was dumb enough to leave their merchandise out at night anyways?

Quickly standing back off from his crash while ignoring the sting to his back, Natsu came back swinging his flame clad fists into the orange haired bastard.

Each blow was blocked without Gildarts having to move from his spot. A left kick to his kidneys. Blocked. An uppercut to his chin. Blocked. A sweep kick over his legs. Blocked. And a dozen flamed barrages to his chest. Blocked. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't land a clean hit.

A punch to his cheek nearly stumbled Natsu onto his back before he shrugged it off for an aimed spin kick to Gildarts side. The Crash mage deflected the attempt with a wave of his arm, sending Natsu spinning back on his leg before coming back with both his fists cocked back like pistons, ready to fire. Moving back his own fists Gildarts met Natsu's attack full on as their double sided punches struck, kicking up a strong wind that blew their hair back. A jolt of pain ran up both the Dragon Slayer's arms, but refused to back down from the stalemate. Both continued to put in more strength to overpower the other, but with Gildarts insane strength, there was no contest.

Sent back skidding, Natsu tried coming back with a feint, ready to drill Gildarts face only to drop on his hands and start spinning around on his palms. Fire coated his legs as they sent a wave of spiraling fire to wash over the Crash mage.

Gildarts smirked, his outstretched arm glowing with wispy white magic. He wasn't a magic canceler for nothing.

The magic fire broke apart like toy blocks, revealing the surprised fire mage standing on his hands before being kicked under the top of his skull.

"Come on, Natsu. I know you can do way better then this. Whatever happened to surpassing me? As well as Laxus, Mirajane, and Erza." Catching him by his white dragon scaled scarf stained with some blood, Gildarts looked back at Natsu with some disappointment, "You can't protect your nakama with this level of strength forever. As long as you refuse to face your fears, you won't be able to even keep your friends from leaving you."

"_Because if you can't, then I can't consider someone as weak and pathetic as you as my nakama!"_

Red clouded Natsu's eye's as anger overflowed from him. Flames coated his body in a shroud of dragon flames, as he glared hatefully at the man holding him up, his glare causing Gildarts to sigh sadly at the sight.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" ready to unleash a Karyu no Hoko point-blank in Gildarts face, Natsu was stopped by a fist to his face, sending him falling back before being yanked by his scarf and sent skidding back into the ruined riverbank.

"That's another thing." Gildarts said as he cracked his neck, taking his time in reaching Natsu, "You got to control your hate. I'm glad you found it, really. No one's perfect and we all feel it at some point. But it's taking over you. You've got to let go of that hate against Jellal."

Fixing his jaw from the painful kick while away some blood, Natsu glared back at Gildarts, "How? How do you know his name!" he shouted loudly.

"Master told me everything." he shrugged before standing over the Dragon Slayer. "I know that's why you've been acting so strange lately. Why you aren't even enjoying our fight."

"He hurt Erza. I get it. He nearly killed her in his possessed state. But she forgave him, even after he had killed one of her friends. So why can't you? After all. . ."

He smiled knowingly, his eye's proud and full of respect as his next words nearly had Natsu dead in shock.

"You do love her, don't you?"

_'WHAT!?'_ Sputtering with an embarrassed blush on his face Natsu tried to deny the S-class mage's claim as he waved his arms around.

"LIES! Who told you that dumb lie! It was Gray, wasn't it! I'm going to kick that Ice dicks ass into an early grave for spreading such lies!" he shouted, waving his fist threateningly, only causing Gildarts to laugh.

He wiped his eye's as he smirked down at the fumbling fire mage, "Now that's the Natsu I know! And don't deny it! These eye's can spot love a mile away!" he grinned proudly.

"LIER! A filthy old man like you can't even get a girl to look at you without laughing her ass of at the disaster kami had created!"

"Why you little punk!"

Rapping the Dragon boy on his head with the back of his fist, Gildarts huffed before glancing back at the teary eyed Natsu who still couldn't erase the blush on his face.

"Don't play dumb." he sighed through his nose as he grinned widely, nearly wiping a tear away in pride seeing the small pink haired boy always chasing him around for fights grow before him. "You shouldn't even be embarrassed about it. Erza's a wonderful girl in need of someone to love and protect her. I'm sure she even feels the same."

Natsu sighed. Love? He didn't even understand that crap. But, at the same time he didn't have anything else to say back to the Crash mage. His feelings for Erza were confusing.

"What does it matter." slowly getting back up on one knee, Natsu looked down sadly as he closed his eye's. "And it's none of your business. In fact," he suddenly grinned wolfishly, surprising Gildarts who noticed he had began to sweat from the heat of the night.

He paused at that before his eye's widened. The nights in Magnolia were never hot.

"YOU WON'T REMEMBER NONE OF THIS WHEN I KNOCK YOUR ASS OUT!" Flames surrounded Natsu's hands, gathering together into dense torrent like blades. He grinned, catching Gildarts by surprised before delivering his finishing move.

"_Mesturyu Ogi: Guren Bakuenjin(Dragon Slayer's Secret Art's: Crimson Lotus, Exploding Flame Blade)_!"

Spinning around his arms, a sphere of scorching flames engulfed the Crash mage in the wake of Natsu's spiraling explosion. The torrent like flame blades generating mini detonations within the deadly spell capable of bringing down dragons. The water around them was turned to steam from the spell, the flames spiraling within its shallow water hotter then natural fire.

Falling back on his feet from the exploding sphere that continued to strike Gildarts, Natsu nearly fell back on his knee's, all the magic he had been using today draining him, leaving him with nothing after using his strongest close range spell. The Dragon Slayer couldn't help but grin happily as a bit of his old self began to come back.

After all these years, he had done it. He landed a hard hit on Gildarts. One that he definitely wouldn't brush off. Maybe he really was undermining himself.

The thought was sadly banished when the flames were torn away by a burst of colossal magical power tearing away at his spell like ribbons like it was nothing. Natsu began to sweat in the presence of the immense magical aura bursting from Gildarts slightly smoking face, his expression etched in a stone cold frown. The ground under his feet was torn up, breaking apart into dust as a gale of whipping wind surrounded him, his magic power skyrocketing in a silver-white beacon that could be felt all across of Magnolia.

"That actually stung." Gildarts smirked in the wake of his magic power, his hair blown up as he gingerly touched the small patch of burned skin on the left side of his face.

"But that still isn't close to enough of even knocking me out. Though a bit of your old self was put into that attack, so I'm not surprised that you managed to burn me."

_'H-How?'_ Natsu felt like he was being crushed by an unseen force in the presence of Gildarts. It was ridiculous. Was he really that strong that he could break apart one of his strongest spells with ease?

"You're strong, Natsu." Gildarts smiled softly before looking back at him with a hardened expression.

"But you have yet to reach the summit of true power in the magical world. You have only walked the path, not even knowing where that path is taking you. If you want to protect your friends, and your guild, then there is one last thing you must acquire. Know it."

A blinding light shone from the Crash, stumbling Natsu back from the wave of wind produced as Gildarts began to unleash his magical energy for the world to see, crushing the ground into nothing.

"You say you aren't afraid? Then don't back down from your training. A fearless man would never back down. So if you really think you're fearless, then strike me down with those fearless fists."

He wasn't weak. Natsu grit his teeth angrily as he shielded his face from the buffet of debris and wind smacking into him from Gildarts aura. Fear had nothing to do with why he didn't want to go through his training again. And he wasn't backing down! He just loved his nakama too much to risk hurting them! He wasn't-

"_Because if you can't, then I can't consider someone as weak and pathetic as you as my nakama!"_

Natsu's eye's snapped wide open as the words rang painfully in his head like a gong, nearly bringing him to his knee's before shouting out in anger, running off towards the malestorm of magic with a raging fist.

"I'M NOT AFRAID!"

But he was.

Skidding to a complete stop Natsu froze in front of Gildarts, the man's simple dilating of his eye sending fear running down his body in trembling waves. He felt his breath leave him as a cold sweat washed over him, his own eye's dilated in shaken fear that was powerful enough to want make him scream. He tried to grit his teeth to hold it back, but only failed as his mouth was left open, trembling like his entire body.

This was Gildarts. The true Gildarts. The Ace of Fairy Tail. The strongest man in the guild besides the old man. The man who had played around him whenever he demanded a fight when he came back from a mission. The one he and Lissana had looked up to almost like a father. The man who's true magical power erupting from under him like some volcano, was Gildarts.

And he was afraid. Natsu was truly afraid.

Falling onto his hand's and knee's as Gildarts began to call of his magical aura, Natsu shook in fear, finally admitting it to himself as he back downed.

"I-I'm. . . afraid." he said with a shaking voice, "Alright! I'm afraid!"

He knew was. Natsu couldn't deny it. He had known since finding out that he had been losing control of his magic. He had known when the master and Gajeel explained it to him. He had known once he saw Jellal's cruel grin back in his mind.

And he had known he was afraid when Knightwalker said she didn't want to be friends with a scared mage like him. He had always known.

"I'm afraid of losing control! I'm afraid of hurting my friends! And I'm afraid of losing my friends because I'm afraid! I'm. . . scared." he cried, sniffing back the tears of the pain he felt.

"Wonderful."

". . . What?" Natsu looked up in confusion as Gildarts smiled down at him.

"There's nothing wrong with being afraid or scared. It's what makes us all human. Same as having hate. No one can blame you for having these emotions. Though the courage to back down from from someone who's stronger then you is rare in people like you. It takes a real man to think about his life instead of carelessly throwing it in."

Gildarts closed his eye's in content, the last of his magic receding back into his body.

"Fear is not evil. It is to know your weakness. If you know your weakness, then people can become strong and gentle. How you get over that fear is up to you. And when you do, then you'll be able to openly admit you're scared, that you hate someone, and that you love someone." his eye's twinkled as he smirked down at Natsu, "I know you don't hate Jellal. At one point, you may have. But when you had seen him again, your fear of him hurting Erza again dug up your hate. That's what love does. It makes us overprotective of the one's we love."

"And how would you know?" Natsu mumbled as he wiped away his tears, getting a grin out of the magic canceler.

"Believe it or not, I was in love once. And I know what it does to man too. Unfortunately that one true love left me, my work always getting in the way of our relationship. I can see love because I've felt love like that before." he admitted solemnly.

"If you don't want to admit it, then that's fine." Gildarts chuckled as he turned away, moving to head home before glancing back at the tired fire mage. After all that Natsu's been through in one day he didn't blame him for being so exhausted.

"Go home. Sleep on what I've told you and look deep within yourself. Who knows? Maybe you'll finally be S-class material after learning about your fear and hate." Walking away Gildarts knew Natsu would make the right choice tomorrow. All he needed was a push in the right direction.

"I believe in you. And I hope the next time we fight you'll be more yourself. Because believe it or not, I don't want to lose to you either."

Disappearing off into the breezy night, Natsu was left with a new resolve as Gildarts left.

It was time to stop doing everything by himself. If he did everything on his own, even if those things endangered the one's he loved, then he become closed off for their safety. And that was something Natsu didn't want.

He loved his nakama. Loved them more then his own life. They were his reason to keep going strong to find Igneel. Because they believed he would one day find him. Even when he didn't. It was because of them that he had opened up his heart to friends in the first place. They had become his family and he had become theirs. Through it all, through the pain, the sadness, the smiles, the grief, the laughter, the worry, and the happy, they had been there.

"What the hell's wrong with me?" Natsu said softly as he let himself fall on his back in the middle of the wreckage of his fight. He looked up at the stars illuminating the dark sky with a feint smile, noticing something that was obvious to the entire world, except for his dumb self.

The stars. No matter how bright and deadly, with their burning cores and fiery bodies, were never alone. Because they were always surrounded by other stars. Even weaker ones. They were always clustered together, like a guild.

Natsu grinned wistfully in the middle of crumbled riverbank as the water returned to flow around his beaten body. His eye's grew heavy as he couldn't help but fall asleep under the beautiful sky lite night.

Just like the stars, he wasn't alone. And he never would be.

* * *

**(The next day, mid-morning.)**

. . .atsu. Natsu!"

Natsu frowned, pulling the sheets over his head to block out the noise. Couldn't they see he was tired? He needed sleep dammit! After getting thrown around like a rag doll by Gildarts he deserved some R and R.

"Wake up, you lazy ass!"

Gray? Oh, he was so dead when he woke up. He'd fried his ass later though. Dreamland was a calling.

"Maybe some fish would wake him up? It always works on me!"

"That's because you're a cat."

"And you're a girl. I still don't see the difference."

Shut up! Why couldn't they let him sleep? He wanted some rest! That's all! What was so bad about that? Why couldn't Lucy and Happy understand?

"Leave the poor man alone. He deserves some rest after all that happened the other day. If what you say about the man, Gildarts, was true, and the insane magic power that I felt the other day from Fairy Hills was anything to go by, then I'm not surprised that we found him in such a state. Even Scarlet was worried."

Finally! Someone who understood his needs!

. . . Wait. Knightwalker?

Groggily opening his eye's, Natsu sat back up from the comfy bed he was sleeping on, finally noticing that he was in Lucy's bed meaning he was in Lucy's house. Huh, they must of found him near the bridge knocked out after fighting Gildarts. Seeing as the bridge he was fighting in was close to Lucy's house, they must of brought him here.

They must of went out to see what was causing all the noise last night, not to mention the colossal source of magical power in one place was a dead give away. Gildarts must of woken up the entire town last night. Crazy old bastard.

Fighting back a yawn, Natsu was unprepared for the twin tackling missiles made up of Happy and Knightwalker to push him back down onto the bed.

"NATSU!"

"Oww! Dammit! I'm still sore here!" he groaned as he found himself cuddled within Erza's chest while Happy hugged his back, both bawling like children as they hugged the living life out of him.

"I was so worried!"Knightwalker cried, seeming to forget the fact that Natsu needed to breath.

"I should of never left you last night! I'm so sorry! If I had of known you would have been attacked by that dirty bastard, then I would of never left your side!"

"Um, guy's? I think he might need to _breathe_." Lucy stressed as she watched Natsu's face turn blue, getting a laugh out of the ice alchemist next to her.

"Hah! Don't hold anything back you two! Give him all the love he needs!" Gray cackled.

_'Damn you, Gray.'_ Natsu thought, slowly feeling his soul leave his body before Knightwalker held him at arms length.

"I'm sorry."

Natsu frowned, noticing some tears gather around the corners of her eye's. Her hair shadowed her face as her arms slightly trembled.

"What's wrong, Erza? You didn't do anything wrong." he smiled, only for her to shake her head before looking up at his face, causing a nail to go through his heart seeing tears.

"But I did." Knightwalker sniffed, fighting back the guilt she felt for leaving him with such painful words.

"I should of never of said those things back there before leaving you all by yourself when you needed someone the most. I should of never said that I would no longer consider you my nakama, my first nakama if you were weak and pathetic. Because I don't care!" she cried into his shoulder's, gripping his arms tightly as he hugged her to his chest.

"You could be the weakest dumbass on the planet, and I wouldn't care! I just. . . don't want to lose my first friend over something stupid when I didn't even know what I was thinking!"

". . . . Heh. Is that it?" Natsu sighed before laying his forehead against Knightwalker's, closing his eye's in a small moment of content.

"I don't care about any of that. I'm just glad I hadn't lost someone important in my life again because of my weakness. As long as you're here, and everyone else is here, by my side, then I'll never be weak and pathetic. So you don't have to apologize. I should be the one saying sorry for getting angry at you over my own fear."

Knightwalker couldn't help but smile as a tear ran down her face. This was the man she had fallen for. The real Natsu. The one who had saved her from herself and opened up her closed heart to the voices of the world.

Lucy smiled at the touching scene. She was sad to admit it, but she was still scared of the ex-Fairy Hunter even when she had become a member of Fairy Tail. She did try to kill her by dropping her off from a tower to go splat on the streets of Edolas with a dark grin. She couldn't help it.

But now, seeing her cry in worry of her friend, Lucy was glad that she was just being silly worrying about her. Knightwalker was just a girl. Just like her. One that could cry and feel emotional just like her. And she cared about her nakama. Just like the rest of them.

"I think they liiiiiike each other!"

And of course leave it to Happy to break the mood.

Knightwalker blushed shyly as Natsu rubbed the back of his head in confusion, still the lovable dense idiot they all loved. Of course he liked Knightwalker. Just as much as he did Erza. He suddenly blushed though thinking back to his fight with Gildarts when he had talked to him about the beautiful scarlet knight.

Damn old bastard. If the old man found about him also having confused feelings Knightwalker he would never let him live it down. Gildarts would probably shout out to the guild he liked two deadly scarlets.

"I see, you're awake, Natsu."

Speak of the devil.

Walking into the room with her arms crossed over her armored chest Erza looked stoic as she nodded at Natsu. From the look in her eye's she didn't seem to be happy. Natsu sighed at that.

He didn't blame her for being upset with him. With all that he had happened the other day and the way he was acting, he was surprised she hadn't sent him flying out the wall with one of her backhands by now. That only made it worse. She wasn't happy and he was the one at fault.

Moving closer to Lucy's bed, Erza gave her twin a look that she seemed to understand before she gave the Dragon Slayer one last big hug and got off the bed. If those two were listening to each other, then he was in for it now.

"If you all wouldn't mind, me and Natsu have a few things to discuss over. I trust that this isn't a problem?" Erza said sternly, getting the message across as all three mages left the room with Happy trailing behind, mumbling something about a buffet of fish.

Closing the door to the room as they all left Erza turned back towards Natsu who had gotten out of the bed, bowing on his knee's while muttering 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.', getting a raised brow out of the knight.

"What are you doing?" she chuckled behind her gauntlet fist as Natsu stopped.

"Eh? You mean. . . you're not going to hurt me?" he said hopefully with sparkling eye's.

Before being slapped in the cheek hard enough to send him slamming against the wall of Lucy's room.

"That's for your rude behavior the other day." Erza said flatly as Natsu rolled around the floor in pain, crying out in from the red mark on his cheek.

Ignoring the stinging sensation on the left side of his face Natsu got back up only for Erza to gesture to sit beside her on Lucy's bed. He raised an eyebrow in confusion, getting a roll of her eye's.

"Just sit. I won't hurt you. . . anymore." she smiled sincerely with a sliver of humor.

Natsu sighed in relief, surprised that he hadn't noticed Erza requip into her white blouse and blue skirt as he sat down next to her. He smiled at that. Natsu always did like Erza when she wasn't in armor. She was more open this way.

Laying her hands flat on her lap Erza seemed to struggle with what she was going to say. But something in Natsu's gut told him that he already knew what she wanted to say. After all, she wasn't an S-class mage for nothing. She should have been able to find the cause of his anger and hate seeing as she knew the only person to of ever brought such emotions to the Dragon Slayer.

"Yesterday, Gajeel had said that it was a grudge that was causing you to lose control. It was the reason why you were so angry back at the guild and why you seemed so out of it." Erza bit her lip, gripping her blue skirt as she tried to continue.

"Tell me, is it because of. . . Jellal?" She asked softly as she looked down.

Natsu had a small frown on his face as he closed his eye's. So, she did know. Of course she did. Just the thought of the azure man made Natsu want to openly grit his teeth in anger. He sighed deeply doing his best to hold back the boiling emotions. No. He was done with that now. After fighting with Gildarts he had come to an understanding.

But even still, for reasons that Natsu still couldn't explain, the thought of Jellal caused some sour feelings to rise up.

". . . Yeah. I guess you could say that." he smiled sadly as craned his head to the side, seeing Erza only tighten her grip on her skirt even more.

"Why?" It was dumb question. She knew that. But she couldn't help it. It just popped out.

He knew that. She was hurting inside. Because of Jellal. No, he shook his head. This time it wasn't just Jellal, it was him too. They were both causing Erza pain again.

Erza loved Jellal. And it filled Natsu's chest with an empty pain, one that made him fell nothing, yet still fell like his heart was being torn to shreds. Why, he didn't know. But knowing that little fact filled him with pain.

And yet, he smiled. If she could be happy, with whoever could fill her heart with love instead of pain, despite who they were, then he would be fine with that. Natsu knew that with all his heart. Because here smile and happiness meant the world to him. He would do anything, even defy the entire Fiore council, to protect that happiness.

Because he, whether he truly understood it himself, loved her.

"You know, when I was brought within inside of my heart, where all my feeling were kept locked up away from the world, instead of it being filled with light and the picture of the guild like I thought, I found a dark, evil swamp, filled with rotten trees, pitch black clouds, and a blood red sky with a black moon." he said with a sad tone, the memory of his heart causing it to ache.

Looking back up Erza was confused at what she was hearing. "But that doesn't sound anything like you. What type of magic twists your heart into something like that?" she frowned, only for Natsu to shake his head with a scowl.

"The magic didn't twist anything, it showed what I was really feeling." he looked down at his hand, the memory of the hatred they held yesterday still fresh as day, "Hate."

"I know I said I considered Jellal a member of Fairy Tail, but, deep down inside, I always hated the guy. I couldn't help it. He was the only bastard to of ever made you cry, to of made you shake with fear, to give up before it was all over!"

Erza flinched as Natsu suddenly brought his fist down onto the beds frame, shaking it as he left an indent on the frame in the shape of his fist.

"I never wanted to see you like that again." Natsu said softly as he looked away. "Just the memory of seeing your tears upsets me. I know it's stupid, but I don't ever want to see Erza like that again."

Though Natsu couldn't see it, a small smile made its way to Erza's lips.

Fool. It sounded more like he was talking to himself now.

"It's not stupid." Erza said gently, laying her hand over his shaking fist. "Caring for your friends isn't stupid, it never is. And I understand how you feel." Erza smiled as she reached for Natsu's face, moving him to face her. She looked on gently into her eye's. She would never admit it out loud, but his confused face was always cute, no matter how old he got.

"I don't ever want to see Natsu look so scared ever again."

Natsu's eye's widened before his confused face slowly turned into a tiny, sad grin.

"But, don't you care about the fact that I hate Jellal?" he asked with a deadpanned expression, getting a sweatdrop from the scarlet knight at his blunt question. What a way to break the moment.

Erza sighed.

"At one point, I may of felt sad that you saw Jellal in such a hateful light. The way he is now, he's just a victim of another plot to resurrect Zeref, just like me. I'm sure if you had met him before he was taken over by the ghost of Zeref, you two would of gotten along just fine."

"But I understand your feelings. After all, I hated Jellal most of my life." Hated was a strong word. More like despised, wanted to gut his insides with every blade in her collection, cut him into nice fine cubes of evil bastard on a toothpicks, and grill those chunks with Natsu's flame breath while feeding them to some wild animal. But that was the past. A violent past of deadly emotions for the azure mage.

"Even now," she gripped her shoulders as past memories came back to play in her head, "The feelings of the past haven't completed vanished. The pain he had caused me has never left. My heart was scarred by that man, and I had hated the weakness he had brought me. So, I won't blame you for hating him, or having a grudge against him. In a way, you and I are the same." she looked softly towards the Dragon Slayer with a hint of blush on her face, her eye's tearing up from the memories and emotions in her head, "We both fear being weak, not being able to protect our friends, and we're both dumb enough to try and give up our lives to save them."

In a way, they both were alike. Natsu smiled as he lifted his hands up to Erza's face to wipe away the tears threatening to spill out. Both of them loved their nakama to no end. And they would do almost anything to protect them.

And in those glistening eye's of emotions, the sight gripping his heart painfully, Natsu was finally coming to understand the feeling he was feeling for the scarlet knight. Behind all that armor she had adorned was a scared woman afraid to open her heart up again. Too afraid to show her true emotions again after having them shattered by the one she loved most.

It was still confusing. These emotions that filled his heart to the brim at the sight of Erza. Her strength, her confidence, her experience, her will, her straightforwardness, and her love of the guild. She was the one person he couldn't lose to. Because he wanted to stand on even ground with her. To be able to walk with her as an equal that could protect her, that she could relay on instead of protecting.

"Heh, I guess you're right." Natsu grinned brightly, getting a smile out Erza. "We're both idiots. We really got to learn to stop pushing our selves too much. I mean, who else would take care of the guild if you were gone? And who would keep the guild as Fiore's strongest guild without me? Whether we like it or not the guild needs us. All of us." he laughed softly before sighing as he thought back to Jellal.

"A lot of things happened back in my head, Erza. And they all made me mad. I was consumed with rage, and I didn't like the feeling that was eating away at me. I don't know if I'm able to fully forgive Jellal yet, but I'll try, for you."

The anger, the rage, the hate, was still there. Natsu wasn't going to lie to himself any longer. Even the fear he had felt during the Tower of Paradise was still there too. And those feelings would never go away. Not until he had some closure with the ex-saint. Until then, Natsu wouldn't be afraid to show those emotions any longer. Because it was those emotions that had made him stronger.

A warm sensation wrapped around Erza as she suddenly found herself embraced by the rose haired mage, her eye's closing in content at the warmth she was basked in by his mere touch.

Even if she couldn't admit it out loud, Erza couldn't deny it any longer. She loved him. She loved Natsu Dragneel with all her heart. The only man to of ever stripped her of her armor and to reveal her soul to the world. The one who could burn through all her insecurities with a plain old grin that made her break out into a grin of her own. Who made her feel safe to be herself, despite how stubborn she could be. No man had ever made her feel this way before.

He meant the world to her. Just like she meant the world to him. He had given her a second chance after all, even when she thought she was dead to the world within Etherion. It didn't matter to Natsu that she had been broken down onto a cellular level within magical energy, that wasn't enough for him to just accept the fact that she had died. No, he wouldn't have that. He wouldn't let her give up her own life for him, or anyone else.

Natsu defied logic. Basically cracked its face with a big grin while laughing and dancing in victory. Doing the impossible he had found her in that endless, infinite mass of magical energy and brought her back whole into the living. With nothing but his bare hands and heart.

"I won't run away anymore." Natsu told himself sternly, "I'm going to finish this, today. I'm going to settle what I started with Jellal and move on. Just like you. Because I can't stay anchored to the past, all it would do is take me away from what's in front of me. Like you." he stupidly grinned.

Erza felt her cheeks blush, "Idiot."

"Ah, but that's why I need you. To keep me in line and help me learn from my mistakes."

"Which you never seem to learn from." Erza deadpanned as she looked up at Natsu who looked away in embarrassment. He could of swore she was burning holes through his skull with the stare on her face.

"I can't help it! Learning was never my best subject." Natsu mumbled.

"Learning isn't a subject, it's common knowledge even a Vulcan is capable of using."

"Oi! That's insulting to both me and the Vulcan! No, wait, it's only insulting to me!"

Erza laughed as Natsu huffed in anger, seeing the strict Requip mage laughing so carefree making Natsu smile happily.

He was going to finish this today. So that they all could continue moving forward. He wasn't going to be tied down to those bitter emotions any longer.

Looking out to the window to the side Natsu grinned, ready for what was in store.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Natsu? I mean its only been a day since coming back from the depths of your heart." Makarov said weakly, already knowing that he wouldn't be able to talk Dragon Slayer out of what he was about to do.

Natsu nodded determinedly, sitting lotus style as he stared at the short powerful man in front of him.

"I got to end this, now. If I don't, then I'll only lose more control of my magic." he looked down at his hands, flexing them as flames flickered around the tips, "Last night, I fought Gildarts. With my magic. I didn't notice it till later, but I shouldn't of been able to use my flames with Freed's runes on my body. That can only mean that I didn't really stabilize my magic. I can't get my my magic under control and beat my hatred later." Natsu clutched his fist tightly, the flames dancing around his fingertips flowing away into embers as he stared back at the master sternly.

"I have to do both in one go! No waiting and no running away. Besides," he grinned wolfishly, getting a small smile out of Makarov, "I've got a score to settle with that dark hooded freak with the scythe."

_'So, he fought Gildarts. I'm not surprised he's come back to his senses. The boy did always need a good bonk on the head to get that brain of his working.'_ He wasn't going to hear the end of this from the magic council. Already people were gossiping about the scary beam of light shooting high into the sky and the insane magical pressure surrounding the mess from last night. At least one of his brats learned an important lesson out of it.

Makarov still couldn't help but sigh as he looked around the area. They were back to field Natsu was taken to for his training. And it was a disaster. Thank god they had taken him out deep into Magnolia's forest. If Freed's runs didn't do their magic, then the whole town would be screaming for the hills.

Though Makarov was impressed with how Gajeel, Freed, and Bickslow handled the enraged beast that was Natsu. While they had been injured from the fight, they were alive. Anything in the way of an enraged dragon was always erased from existence. No one walked away from a fight from one of the fabled beasts. Natsu wasn't one, but he was trained to fight them. An enraged Dragon Slayer was just the same as a dragon.

"I understand." The boy needed to finish what he started back in his heart. He was finally back to normal. Natsu would still get angry over the little things, but that was him. "But would you mind telling my why you had insisted that none of our guild mates get involved? While I am confident that I'd be able to keep you under control if you do fall back into your rage, don't you think your friends would want to help, or at least offer some support?"

Natsu shook his head, scratching his head with a laugh, "Nah, I don't want to trouble them with this. Because I'm not going to need anyone keeping me from destroying Magnolia. I'm finishing this. Now. And if do end up fighting, then it's probably going to be with Zeke."

Oh how he couldn't wait to drill that dark smug bastards face in with a Karyu no Tekken.

"That doesn't really answer the question, now does it Natsu?"

Natsu sighed, "Fine. I just don't want them worrying over me. They looked so happy when I woke up this morning my old self that I didn't want to ruin their moods with me having to go back into my heart. Except Gray, that skinny dipping son of a bitch."

"Not to mention that they just got excited over some dumb flier Lucy was handed to by some stranger on the street while she went shopping for some groceries." he grumbled, not noticing the look of curiosity on the master's face.

"A flier?" he asked, rubbing his chin as his interest was peaked.

The Fire Dragon Slayer nodded as he moved to take out a colorful paper, "Yeah, it suppose to be some magical circus carnival that has been traveling around Fiore for a while. The Phantom Parade. It's suppose to stop by Magnolia around this week and anyone with a flier can get a twenty-five percent discount if they bring more then five friends." handing the flier to the master, Natstu scratched his cheek, "Like I said, they were really excited about it. Especially Knightwalker. Turns out she's never been to a carnival, or a circus before."

Makarov studied the flier as he thought back to the recent troubles spreading around the country. He'd never heard of The Phantom Parade before. Were they a new traveling circus? And it looked like they set up carnivals too. The flier was decorated with some circus themed attractions, some of which he'd never seen before. Firework mages? That was definitely a new one. Though it did look like fun.

But something about it all seemed to poke at his senses, telling him other wise. Recently several towns had been attacked by some unknown group of dark mages. And the reports detailing the towns nearly burned to the ground weren't anything to take lightly.

For now though he wouldn't worry about it. It was just a traveling group of clowns and performers. But the second he found something fishy about the group he was taking action. Makarov couldn't afford looking over the simplest detail.

Hopefully his suspicions were wrong, "That sounds nice, Natsu. Your team could use a break like this after all that you've been through. I'm pretty sure the rest of the guild would love to go too." he smiled as he handed back the advertisement.

Natsu nodded with a grin before going back to business, "Once we're done here we can start talking about going. So let's get this over with. Sooner we start, the sooner we can finish."

"Alright Natsu." Makarov chuckled. Requiping Urami into his laid out hand Makarov tossed the blue orb towards Natsu who caught in his hand before laying it onto his lap.

"Once the magic in the orb activates I won't be able to do anything else. It's all up to you what happens next. And just in case something goes wrong," without even noticing that the master had thrown him something Natsu caught the odd crystal pendant flying at him. He frowned in confusion as he looked it over. Seemed like a regular old pendant, only more elegant then others. It was made entirely out of crystal so it did make it unique. A bright sun and a crescent moon was etched onto the pendants surface, the moon reminding Natsu of the odd scythe he'd seen Zeke use.

"You'll have that to back you up." Makarov said as he began to explain, "The item is known as the only key to break an individual free from the power of the magic within Urami. Its history is unknown, but it is said that it ties together with the true heart of the item. And seeing as it worked once I'm sure it will work again."

"Alright Gramp's." pocketing the pendant in his trousers Natsu closed his eye's as he got ready to drop off into his heart once again.

"Hit me."

Makarov closed his eye's, smiling as Natsu expected him to knock him out with a strong hit. The boy didn't need to fall asleep with a hit to activate the spell. The Titan mage had better ways of putting others to sleep.

"_**A dream is a but a fickle reality, endless and boundless to eternity, a world of true peace and conflict, so slumber into the place that your dreams thrive and arrive**_," a light tint of golden light enveloped Makarov's hands as he chanted, his left hand stretched out towards Natsu as a clear bubble of magic began to form. Tiny rainbow like lights flickered inside the bubble before the orb grew to the size of a basketball.

"_**Free fall into the distance**_, _Yumenoshizuku(Dream Drop)_."

A snap of his fingers and the see trough bubble flew straight at Natsu, bursting like a real bubble into tiny little lights that danced around his face. Natsu didn't even have time to come up with a thought before his body shut down, falling into a warm slumber and into the darkness.

Calling off his magic Makarov fixed his hat before taking a seat on a nearby tree trunk. Using his requip magic once more the old mage brought out a fresh mug of beer before taking a sip of the refreshing beverage.

"You're all lucky I didn't decide to create more orb from the spell to take you all out. But considering you were all worrying about your friend I'll allow it." he smirked at the five presences hiding out in the bushes close by.

The bushes were silent for a moment before rustling as five heads popped out from hiding.

Erza sighed as she bowed her head in shame.

"I'm sorry, Master. If you must, hit me." she said as she turned her head to be hit.

**Smack!**

"Ow! I said the master, not you!"

"Oh calm down, Scarlet. That was just a love tap."

"I'll show you a love tap!"

Lucy sighed at the wrestling scarlets as they kicked up a dust cloud during their fighting. Honestly, they acted like twin sisters most of the time.

Moving out of their hiding spot Gray walked over to the master just as the orb in Natsu's lap began to shine. He frowned already knowing what was going on.

"You really think he's ready?" he asked as he sat down next to the short man.

"That is all up to him. I can't decide if he's ready, or not. Like I said, it's all up to him now." Makarov answered as he continued to drink his booze.

Looking back at the slumbering Dragon Slayer, Gray smirked.

"Yeah, guess you're right. But it does help that we brought along Wendy just in case the idiot needs some help."

A strong gust of wind suddenly blew back everyone's hair as the blue orb continued to shine, the odd red marking etched in like designs beginning to crawl up Natsu's skin.

"From here on out, this is Natsu's battle." Makarov said before Natsu's body was coated by wispy white magic like flames.

* * *

**(Corridor of the Heart)**

A sigh left the dark hooded man as the world around him wavered from a land of hated corruption and into a brighter setting then before. No longer was there a dark swamp beneath his feet, but a field of grass in an open forest like area. The site of a big town was visible on the distance and the dark clouds vanished into wisps of fluffy white clouds on a sunny day. A nice riverbank stretched along side him deeper into the land and fish could be seen jumping out of the water.

Dammit. That flame breathing bastard was getting over his hatred. Normally he'd be impressed, but after that dirty trick his pals had played during his failed test he was hoping he'd come back bull rushing it again. Zeke gripped his scythe in anger just thinking back on his little reunion.

"Is their a problem, Zeke-san?"

The hooded man scoffed at his companion next to him, "I'm an entity of Nothing. I don't have problems."

Jellal stared at him for a while before nodding his head and turning towards the clear sky above them.

"Whatever you say." he smirked just as a ball of flames fell from the sky.

The ground shook violently as the fireball crashed into the land with a thunder like roar, kicking up a large dirt cloud that blinded the two mages from what was behind the bellowing smokescreen.

Zeke sighed as he reached for his crescent scythe, "Looks like our guest has arrived."

"Guest? Last time I checked this was my heart!" Flames blew back the dirt cloud, revealing Natsu's grinning face as fire danced around his steaming body.

"What an annoying pest." Zeke grinned darkly before twirling his weapon around, "You know you have a talent of pissing off the wrong type of people. It's going to get you killed one of these days, like today."

"If that was true, then I'd of been dead a long time ago." Moving his over his head, Natsu caught the axle kick to his skull as the image of Jellal blurred to reveal him already on the move.

"Not this time!" Natsu yelled before swinging the azure man into a tree trunk.

Smacking into the bark with a shout, Jellal grunted in pain before his eye's widened seeing Natsu come roaring towards him with a flaming fist. He closed his eye's, ready to take the hit before feeling a gust of hot air blow back his blue locks of hair.

He should have been hit by the flaming strike. Devoured by the dragon flames bathing Natsu's fist. But he wasn't. Why?

Slowly opening his eye's, Jellal noticed Natsu's fist, roaring with flames, stop an inch away from meeting contact with his face. And instead of a look of anger on the fire mage's face, he was greeted with a grin.

"Thought I'd hit ya, didn't ya" Natsu chuckled, getting a silent nod out of Jellal who was too shocked to move.

"Well, I'm not going to." The flames around his fist dispersed, turning into an open hand that confused Jellal.

"What the hell kind of trick is this?" Jellal sneered.

"No trick." Natsu shook his head, "I'm just offering a friend a hand." he grinned.

"Friend?" Jellal laughed cruelly, looking back up at Natsu with disgust, "Why would you call someone like me a friend, or a nakama? You're just like Erza. Naive!" he shouted, moving to blast the Dragon Slayer away with a beam of golden magic.

The golden beam of magic missed, grazing Natsu's side as he stepped to the side, dodging Jellal from planting both his feet into his chest, "Now that's no way to speak to someone, young man." Natsu chided, moving again to dodge a few blows from the fast mage.

"Shut your mouth!" going for another spell to blow the annoying pink head away Jellal was suddenly stopped by Natsu who had gotten behind him to trip over his legs. He fell flat on his back, quickly jumping back up before a hard fist to his left side of his face sent him flying off his feet into the bark of another tree.

Wiping off the small trickle of blood from his mouth, Jellal weakly sneered back at Natsu, "What the hell's your problem? Didn't you hate me before? From what I remember you tried to kill me on the few occasions that we met!"

Hell back at the Tower of Heaven Natsu had, in a way, killed him. Beating him till he couldn't even lift a finger to escape the eruption of Etherion made it so that he wouldn't be able to escape. Whether he intended it, or not, Natsu had sealed Jellal's fate to die in the fall of the tower. Then there was the Oracion Seis incident. The look in the Dragon Slayers eye's was of pure hatred when he had seen him while he was in the middle of fighting Master Zero. Natsu would of scorched him into fine black dust if he had the chance then.

At the ex-holy saint's words Natsu's expression changed. He looked back stoicly at Jellal, his face unreadable before he decided to talk.

"To tell you the truth, I don't know what to say." Natsu said as he sighed. Just because he had come to terms with his hate, and had come with a way to end this test the right way, didn't mean he had truly gotten over all that had happened in the past.

"I can't say I hate you. I want to, believe me I do." he growled with a hint of anger, "It make it so easier to just hate you. Then I could just crush your skull with the bottom of my foot before reducing you into a burning corpse. But," he said weakly, moving his hands around as if to convey something, frowning when he couldn't come up with anything, "I can't. Not anymore. Because then I'd be hating the man Erza hopes to see one day." he smiled sadly.

Jellal scoffed, but if you could look into his eye, you could the pain those words had caused him.

"You can't kill me because of that woman? How pathetic." he laughed with no real humor, "Do you not understand? I'm the man who had fired off Etherion, a weapon of heaven, to resurrect the dark mage, Zeref, to control this world to my own image. I've caused the deaths of many, and I've spread fear into peoples hearts. Erza should know. She was after all the one I had betrayed and nearly killed." he said in a haunted tone.

Natsu shook his head at that, his face shadowed from the memories rising back up, "You were possessed by some false ghost of Zeref. You had no control of what the hell you were doing at the time."

"So you forgive me?" Jellal said in utter confusion.

A barely restrained look of utter rage and fury was Natsu's answer as flames flowed from his body in response to his burning emotions.

"I never said that. Because I can never bring myself to forgive you for the tears that escaped Erza's eye's that day. Nothing can erase the sadness and fear I had seen close up. For the rest of my life I don't think I'll come to forget what you had done to her, despite the fact you might one day come to terms with the past."

It was true. Nothing could erase the memories of the day he had almost lost someone near and dear to his heart. Natsu didn't feel bad about it though. He had taken on the sins of his nakama before, it wouldn't matter if he added his own sin to the list.

The true sin, after all, was averting your eye's from it. He would admit to the whole world of it. He didn't give an honest shit who frowned about it. Though no one would as it could be seen as justifiable after all that had happened.

Jellal was even more confused, "Then what? Or is this your own twisted way of getting back at me?" he glowered.

Again Natsu shook his head, "At the same time, I won't forget what you did for me while I was fighting Zero. I don't know if I would of gone out of that fight in one piece if you didn't give me your flames to achieve Dragon Force. You even took a blow mean for me. That's enough to consider you my nakama. Not because of Erza, but because I had seen the true Jellal Fernandez. The one she loved." he smiled.

"That's why I won't fight you anymore. I refuse to fight a fellow friend. And I won't rid of my hate with more violence." Natsu grinned, calling off the roaring flames bathing his body before once more extending a hand to the downed mage.

Instead of the scornful laughter he was expecting or another insult thrown at him, Natsu was surprised that instead a small smile made its way to Jellal's face.

"I wasn't expecting that. I was hoping for it, but I didn't expect you to find out that the only way to truly pass this part was to lay down your fist. After all, you do rush into things without asking questions." Jellal smirked without any malice or ill feelings.

Natsu shrugged without any care, "Why ask questions when you can usually resolve everything with a good punch in the face." though not everything had a face which made it sorta hard.

Jellal chuckled in amusement before Natsu noticed something odd.

"What the hell's going on?" he frowned in confusion, seeing wisps of light waver from Jellal's body.

So it was time, "Don't worry, the spell that was used to bring me here is finally fading away now. Look," Jellal gestured around him. The dark world that once existed was gone, no trace of it ever existing to be seen. Just a nice open field with a clear view of Magnolia town and a stream with plenty of fish.

"My part in this is done. You were never meant to fight me, just come to terms with your hatred without losing yourself to darkness. And you did a great job. On your second try."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Natsu said with half lidded eye's.

"Nothing." the azure man laughed before feeling his body really begin to fade away. Noticing Natsu had yet to drop his extended hand Jellal smiled, shaking the hand of the person Erza had chosen to believe in.

"Take care of Erza, will you? I will no longer be able to watch over her where I'm going. But I feel relief in knowing that you'll be able to do more then I ever could." he said sincerely.

"Sure, I would of done it without you asking me anyways." Natsu grinned as he could see Jellal about to disappear completely. His body became see through gold as golden wisps floated from his body.

"I'll be sure to take good care of Erza till you get out. Till then, take care."

Jellal mentally frowned, ready to open his mouth and remind the rose haired man that he wasn't going to ever be released for his crimes, that he was to be executed, but crushed the thought and decided against it. He would rather part ways without anything to resolve.

"Yeah." Jellal nodded happily with a grin, his eye's closed to hide the pain he felt that he would never see either of them again. His body in the heart of Natsu finally gave away, bursting into tiny little lights that floated up into the heavens, back where they came before leaving with a parting final good-bye.

"I hope to see you and Erza one day, not too soon though, on the other side if kami permits me. Good-bye, Natsu."

_'It's over. Finally.'_ Natsu could feel it. His heart felt lighter now. The hate was gone, but not forgotten. Through it all he had overcome the darkness in his own heart and banished it without fighting this time. Natsu closed his eye's in a moment of peace as the wind in his world breezed past him.

Things could return to normal again. He could finally relax without fearing of losing control of his flames. His heart was at peace again and that meant he could be himself again. Everything was at peace at last.

So why did the sirens in his scream at him to move. Now.

A bell like screech warned Natsu to move his ass out of the way as he shot out of the way of a mile long black-blue tearing blade from above him. The ground was torn apart, creating a deep fissure from the falling blade where Natsu once stood, smoke bellowing from the newly created split earth.

"Oops, did I do that?" floating above the now alert Natsu, Zeke spoke dully down as he held his crescent scythe at an angle that said he had just swung at him.

"What the hell's your problem!?" Natsu shouted up angrily with a tick mark on his head, shaking his fist madly at the hooded man, "Aren't we done here? You said that I was suppose to learn to control my anger, to get over my hate! I did that and it looks like I did what you wanted me to do! So why the hell are you attacking me!"

"You are right. You were suppose to get over your little confrontation with Jellal without fighting, and you did that rather well for your second chance. I should congratulate you." leveling his blade at a suitable angle a blue hue gathered on the unique sickle before a lunar crescent was fired off from Zeke's reaping weapon.

"Congratulations! You not only passed, but you've also seemed to of done the unthinkable! You've pissed me off!"

Again Natsu moved to dodge the blade of magic, only to freeze. What the hell? Why wasn't his body listening to him? There was fucking blade coming after his head and he couldn't move!?

Zeke darkly smirked.

"Die. _Koryo Shunkan(Bleak Moment)._"

Natsu's vision went dark as if he was swallowed up in a world that only showed white outlines in pitch black. A spell! No wonder he was feeling as if some crazy pressure was pushing down on him. His body shook as everything went by in slow speeds, watching with sweat beading down his neck as the crescent blade was slowly coming to cut through his neck.

Was this really it? Hell no! There was no fucking way he was going to die like that! Not after getting over his hate! No way in hell. He had to go back to the others.

There was no way he was going to die!

A plume of dirt rose up from where Zeke's attack struck, shaking the earth below him as he grinned, knowing he hit his mark.

Yes, he was pissed. And that was something he couldn't let the pink haired fool get away with. He was a being of nothing. Nothing felt nothing. He wasn't suppose to feel a damn thing. But then comes this fire breathing bastard and he managed to tick him off with bringing in that bitch Eileen. Just like her, that boy angered him for other reasons.

Light? A guild bathed in nothing in light? What crap! Did those mages not understand that you couldn't have one? You needed both light and dark to come to a perfect world. Yet they selfishly took in the light and frowned upon the dark? What fucking bullshit!

Naive. That is what they were all. Thinking they could get rid of the darkness and reach peace. Lies. They would only reach a bleak and boring reality that no mad man would want.

With the end of this boy, the people on the outside would feel pain and sorrow. And they would grow from that pain. The outcome good or bad he didn't care. But they would grow and eventually become better humans in the end.

The rising of the temperature suddenly snapped Zeke out of his own thoughts as he looked down in shock, flames banishing the dirt cloud kicked up by his attack to reveal the flaring Dragon boy looking back up with a wolfish grin plastered on his face. A snarl made its way to his face before he lost control of his emotions.

"You little shit! You don't know when to just lay down and die, do you!"

Blood dripped down from the side of Natsu's head as he had taken the softened end of the blade after using his Karyu no Koen to cushion him from the spell. Wasn't the best idea, but hey, he was alive.

Rolling his shoulders around Natsu smirked as he punched his fist into his open palm, "I was hoping to kick your ass around for a bit. At least I got some emotions out of you. Better then fighting a bleak bastard. That just isn't fun."

Provoking an entity that had control of the everything around you like a god? Not a good idea.

A heavy pressure drowned Natsu and the world inside his heart as Zeke began to float down, his body wavering with eerie black-white and gray magic like smoke, his eye's void of any emotion from before.

Natsu could of sworn his entire world was being crushed by the pressure. He nearly fell on one knee from the power radiating off Zeke. He wasn't playing around anymore. He was going full out.

"I was once a sage of the world in my days, spreading love and peace to the world. Funny, with all this power I'm sure I could of changed the world into accepting my ideals. But it came at a cost. I lost my emotions for the greater good of the world I loved. And now you and that, girl, have pissed me off. I can't accept that. I'm going to break you."

One step. One step of Zeke's foot and the world vanished. No breaking apart, no sign that the world was replaced, no way of seeing how it had happened, but Natsu's world changed into nothing. A world with the earth being a mirror like clear and rippled like water with every step. Black rectangular columns rose up from the world with no resistance despite the floor being solid, rising up to the empty gray like sky only for more to rise from the ground. White cubes floated around the air with no real purpose other then to be there.

This was all created by Zeke simply landing down to touch the ground. His presence twisting everything into nothing. He pulled back his hood to reveal that his eye's had changed from there brown iris to a dull white and the white of his eye's pitch black.

"Fuck the test," Zeke said as his body began to change, multiple skeletal like zippers popping out all over his coat to laugh darkly as he glared at Natsu with nothing in his eye's, "I just want you dead."

Spiked gloves replaced his regular gloves with a zipper grinning madly in sick joy, his scythe vanishing into ribbons of black and white. His hair became shaggy and a small streak of white ran down his bangs. Even more zippers showed themselves as they could be seen on his pants and shoes. All of them laughing darkly like mouths to a dark melody.

"Let us start." Zeke blankly said, pointing his open palm towards Natsu, his gloved palm showing the grinning zipper teeth that giggled, "_Chuku Kyoi: Pretas Shin'en(Hollow Wonder: Pretas Abyss)_!"

A long, giant withering gray mouth like appendage shot out from the zipper's mouth, something that Natsu would only see in some twisted dream, its teeth black and chipped yet sharp like black thorns.

No way was he going to wait to see what it could do. Natsu turned his back from the mouth flushing out of Zeke's palm to run from it. His back away from the monster mouth, Natsu began dodging it as it chased him around to devour him whole. It twisted and turned, snaked around like an actual snake, and growled in hunger like it had never eaten before.

Jumping over a black column rising in front of him, Natsu gazed behind his shoulder only to stare in horror how the thing had screamed in sick joy swallowing the none living thing in one bite. It even whined in sadness noticing it wasn't living and there was a lack of blood dripping down its mouth.

What the hell kind of spell was that?

"You ever hear the stories in Eastern religions in Earthland, like Buddhism, that talked about Pretas? Sad creatures really. Punished for their sins, they can only eat human waste. And they can't quench their hunger or thirst. But give them a big mouth and they'll gladly eat anything, usually humans like yourself." Zeke explained as he watched his monster coming out of his hand chase after Natsu, "You can't out run it. It'll chase you till either you're dead, or it's dead."

"Fine then!" Natsu shouted, gathering flames into his hands before skidding to a stop. He watched as the mouth like thing came rushing towards him, its mouth open wide with its tongue flapping, saliva flying out in sorry hunger.

Like hell he was going to be eaten by some nightmare out of a child's dream. Flames spouting from his right elbow Natsu greeted the Preta mouth head on as it tried to chomp him whole only to clash its large teeth with Natsu's blazing fist.

"_Karyu no Kiba Esayari(Fire Dragon's Feeding Fang)_!"

Bright flames lite up the fingertips of Natsu's left hand before he jabbed them deep into what he guessed was the forehead of the thing, clawing the flamed hand viciously as he fought it off with his right fist colliding with its teeth. It began to whine in pain before its body began stretching out from Zeke's outstretched hand began to blow up like a balloon. Embers and smoke escaped the cracked gaps of its teeth before it had inflated to the point its body stretched till it couldn't take it any longer.

The mouth in Zeke's palm clicked its teeth before biting down on its teeth, chomping off its connection to the disgusting creature before it exploded. A flood of fire rushed at both mages causing Zeke to jump onto one of the floating cubes around him for safety.

Natsu was safe though as he took it to his advantage to come out flying from the sea of fire and go shooting off towards Zeke like a flaming missile.

Zeke could see the flaming spear head tackle aimed for him, jumping over the Natsu as the zippers on his back coat opened their mouths wide open, "_Chuku Kyoi: Akateko no Eda(Hollow Wonder: Branches of Akateko)_!"

More then two dozen of red hands reached out from the zippers to grab onto the passing Dragon Slayer, catching him within their grip before slamming him down from over Zeke's head into a floating cube.

Natsu broke through the box to land on his back, crumbling it as he gasped in pain from the fall. His eye's widened, suddenly seeing the Nothing mage come dropping down at him with cruel looking blades of all types growing from those damned zippers.

Natsu rolled over the impaling weapons, sweating before aiming a kick to Zeke's body. His weapons were still coming out of his magic mouths and it looked like he was stuck with the blades stabbing into the ground.

A flame kick later and Zeke was sent flying up, breaking through a rising column before coming to a stop.

"_Chuku Kyoi: Shuryo Akki(Hollow Wonder: Hunting Ghouls)_!"

Natsu grit his teeth seeing as dozens and dozens of demon like spirits rained down to him. All those pockets really had some nasty surprises to them. Demons? Seriously?

He'd hate to do it, but it looked like Natsu was going to have to use some of his Mesturyu Ogi's to fight off against Zeke.

Thank god his magic couldn't be drained here. He would have been screwed.

Flaring up his body Natsu began to rapidly spin in place till he resembled nothing more then a drill made out of flames, "_Mesturyu Ogi: Guren Rasenkenkaku(Fire Dragon's Secret Art: Crimson Lotus, Spiraling Sword Horn)_!"

Flying off in a mad rotation Natsu began to decimate all the scary ghouls in the air, blowing them all up like fireworks in the sky. He looped around them, piercing through as much as he could before taking it up a notch. He disappeared from sight, blurring in incredible speeds as he blinked in and out to destroy the spirits in the gray sky of nothing.

Zeke tsked, moving to the side as Natsu came drilling after him. He grazed his side with a gash already closed up from the flames of the tip. Stopping amid rotation Natsu swung his fist while still air borne at Zeke as he inspected his wound. The black haired entity raised up his arm to block the fist only to grit his teeth from the force put behind the blow. His hair was blown back from the fist before he raised up his knee to jab the Dragon Slayer in the gut as a black spike made of nothing sprouted from his knee cap. Natsu jumped back from the deadly knee stab, moving to fire a barrage of flame fists at the man.

Zeke moved his arms in sync with Natsu as he blocked the incoming blazing punches. They attacked each other in blinding speeds, their sounds of their blows connecting with one another filling the silent world around them.

Blood flew in between the blow from Zeke's spiked gloves cutting into Natsu's unprotected hands. Though bits of Zeke's gloves were being burned by the intensity of the rose hair's strong blaze, leaving red blisters.

Natsu aimed a swinging kick to Zeke's skull only to be blocked by a raised elbow. Caught in the act he puffed his cheeks with flames before blowing a stream of flames into Zeke's face. Raising his left arm up as his right was busy with blocking Natsu's leg the zippers on Zeke's arm opened up to suck in all the flames aimed towards him. The pockets burped small embers as they canceled the spell getting Natsu to growl before grinning.

"_Karyu no Koen(Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame)_!" Clapping his two blazing hands together Natsu sent Zeke falling a smoking mess from the large explosive flame created by the joining of his hands that bathed them both in dragon flames.

Tricky little bastard. Zeke sighed touching the burns on the side of his face and the ones his arm. With no emotions though he couldn't feel a thing. It still irked him that the Dragon Slayer could damage him while he was in this state.

Chains erupted out of the right arms zippers like biting snakes, shooting after the dodging fire mage. They missed, piercing through a couple of columns before Zeke began to swing them all around like whips. They slashed and crumbled all the the things that came int their way as Natsu jumped over them, flying back from them with some flames to push him back as they swung like deadly jump ropes to crush him.

Zeke swung them high in the air, conjoining them them to form a giant thick trunk of steel, before dropping the heavy chains down to earth to squash Natsu into a bloody smear with their heavy weight. Of course Natsu never made it easy to hit. Moving to the side as the chains fell to shake the world around them Natsu took it as a chance to jump on the steel branches and run up to land a right hook of flames on their owner. More chains exited out from the grinning zippers to try to stab trough the pink head only for him move around them, sidestepping, dodging, and looping through them in their crazed pursuit.

The man of nothing sighed, cutting of the connection to his steel chains as they fell with a crashing thud before moving his left hand out. The zipper on his palm opened its mouth just as Natsu jumped up from his fallen chains to try and land a hit to his face.

"_Chuku Kyoi: Dahag no Tsumi(Hollow Wonder: Sins of Dahag)_!"

A dark purple orb of magic manifested from the gaping mouth just as the serpentine heads of three snake like monster with long necks sprung from three zippers on his sleeve. The formed a pentagon formation around the orb of magic before hissing as they fired a combined beam of blood red magic mixed in with the orb.

The result was drowning Natsu in the large beam that devoured his body as he was shot away. The spell burned his skin like acid, patches of skin were torn, and he could of sworn that if it weren't for his dragon like body that he would have been obliterated in the wake of the attack.

He fell on his back smoking from the deadly spell, coughing out in pain as blood trickled down from his wounds, nearly falling down on a knee in pain. Natsu struggled to keep his eye's wide open as he stared down the motionless black haired mage who looked at him with no emotions, just blankness.

All those spells they were insane. And he was probably just warming up. If he got serious Natsu could only wince as the damage he had already taken so far would be nothing to what Zeke could do.

"Pathetic."

"Wha-" Natsu gasped in sharp pain as a split second Zeke had planted his face into the ground, cracking it as blood stained the dull white earth. Zeke gripped his hands roughly into Natsu's skull, grinding his face into the ground without batting an eye at his ruthless methods.

Blow after blow followed next as Zeke began pulverizing the fire mage in his grasp, the echo of his hard, spike knuckled fists pounding away at the weak body filling the void around them as he was stained with splats of blood.

"Is this all you're capable of? To think you had the audacity to be able to rise some emotions out of me. A weak man like yourself? This is the power you protect your nakama, your family with? Utterly pathetic."

Natsu dry heaved as blood spurted out his clenched teeth. The ground cracked in webs with every blow drilled into his body, rocking his body with pain he desperately tried to fight off.

This guy was pissing him off with every second that he opened his damned mouth. It was like he was being beaten up by some kind of machine. Every word leaving his mouth was completely emotionless. He almost sounded bored with pummeling him within an inch of his life!

'_D-Dammit! I have to move! The more I let this monster hit me, the more time I'm wasting in this place. I have to get up. I have to muster up enough power to throw him off in one go!_' flames crawled over his bruised and cut up form, making Zeke pause for a moment before moving to continue his punishment of the Dragon Slayer.

Big mistake. An eruption of concentrated fire blew up from within Natsu, consuming the Nothing mage in a pillar of hellish flames that ate away at parts of his cloak. He was too close to escape the sudden eruption of fire magic as Zeke suffered the scorching consequences.

Flying out of the pillar that continued to roar Zeke flinched, the only indication that he had felt the pain of having the left part of his face burnt badly and having his left arm dangle at his side a black mess of heavy burns.

"It's not enough." Zeke said boredly, raising his heavily burned arm that dangled limply before a silver chains wrapped around the useless limb. They tightened as a few of the chains connected to the mouths around his left shoulder, acting like pulley strings that seemed to move the arm around to his will, "That power. It won't last long against stronger enemies such as myself. But what do I care? I just want you dead."

Calling off the flames that sealed off the wounds on his body Natsu glared back at the floating man, out of breath as stood back up.

"H-How were you e-ever considered a sage?" Natsu said tiredly as he panted, "All you see is black and white! That's no way anyone should see the world! There is more to life then the good and bad! Hasn't anyone ever taught you that!?"

"Be quite." creating some odd crystal like gray blades around himself Zeke began to fire them off in rapid succession as Natsu tried to weave through the gun fire of swords, "You sound just like Eileen. Maybe that's why you seem to piss me off so much? Just looking at you brings back some rather unwanted memories."

Natsu sweated through the gun fire. If only he had some flames. After an assault like that he could use some flames in his belly. If only to rejuvenate himself. Dammit, why couldn't the bastard throw around a fire spell to fill him back up?

"What's wrong with seeing the world in black and white? After all that's all there is. It's naïve idiots such as yourself and your guild that cause just as much conflict in the world as the dark mages you fight. Endless conflict. What a sad world." Zeke shook his head.

"Sad!?" Okay, now he was really getting pissed.

Using a quick Karyu no Yokugeki to blow away the streaming blades Natsu jumped off after Zeke using his flames as boosters to deliver a devastating flaming fist to his bland face.

"_Karyu no Tekken(Fire Dragon's Iron Fist)_!"

Zeke instantly moved his hand to catch the fist, ignoring the explosion followed up with the punch as he was bathed in dragon flames. Lightly smoking after the flames died down Zeke looked into Natsu's burning eye's with his own filled with nothing.

"The world I live in isn't sad! It's filled with love and joy! At least my own world isn't. And I won't stand by as you insult my world or the world of anybody else!" the pink haired fire mage roared as Zeke sighed.

"And what about everyone else? What about their world? You may not understand, but everything you do comes at a consequence. By doing something you believe is good for the sake of your loved ones, you're affecting the the life of another in negative way. Think about it." Zeke urged as Natsu moved back his fist to try kick to his kidneys.

"Pain and sorrow makes us grow into decent human beings. By taking away the death of another you're allowing another person to grow ignorant." he continued, moving around as he blocked every move Natsu made to knock his block off, "Didn't someone you loved die at one point? That Lissana girl, was it? You were in pain, and you felt unbearable sorrow from her death, but you overcame it and grew stronger from it. Except you truly didn't grow. You continue to live in the light, turning your back from the dark side of you that you refuse to accept. That is why you fail." sprouting a fine black cutlass blade out from his palms zipper Zeke slashed deep line into the Dragon Slayer's chest, kicking him back with a hard foot to his bloody chest, and swiping his right hand at the fallen mage as tiny little black balls with Halloween mouths and eye's flew out his grinning zippers.

"_Chuku Kyoi: Roki no Itazura(Hollow Wonder: Loki's Mischief)_."

Watching by as the bombs blew up in skull grinning smoke and lightning Zeke raised up his chain wrapped hand into the air above his head as little black, white, and gray dots gathered to form a heavy mass to end the fight, "It's time to end this. Talking to you is like talking to a rock. At least rocks will listen though. I wonder though, what will the last thing you see be? Your life flashing before your eye's, or your weakness to protect your friends with your own power?"

"Now begone, _Fujun'na Sekai(Impure World)_!" black sparks crawled around the silver-black mass as it grew to triple the size of the shaggy haired man as he heaved it high above his head.

There was no surviving this spell. It would erase the Dragon Slayer from this world, leaving his body an empty husk on the the outside, the effects of his empty body turning his body into a stone statue as an example of what happened when you couldn't handle the truth. Natsu would be wiped out of existence and that would be the end of it.

Heaving the bomb of dense nothing into the bellowing smoke with ease Zeke turned and walked away as a second later a harsh bellowing gust of wind violently ruffled his clothes from behind, a dome of black-silver consuming everything in sight. He blinked away from the scene to stand levitating over the destruction like some omniscient god watching over his devastation as the dome continued to grow and consume a mile wide radius in its wake.

It was over. He closed his eye's and waited till the spell died down before disappearing from the world inside the dead boy's heart. After all, nothing could match the power of nothing. There was no chance of survival this time.

"_Kibo o Choetsu(Transcending Hope)_!"

Zeke's eye's snapped wide open in alarm, _'Impossible!'_

A pillar of bright golden light pierced through the center of the dome of dense magic, crackling with the most unbelievable sparks of pure holy light. It shed away the nothing wiping out everything in site, eating away at it as it purified the world of utter nothing into its original origin. Zeke shielded his face of the light as a storm nearly blew him away.

How in the seven hells did they bring her back!? Someone on the outside had to wait a few minutes to activate the spell, not to mention that they couldn't of known he was in danger. Natsu wasn't even losing control of his magic on the outside, so how they hell did she come to his aid!?

The world within Natsu's heart was returned to normal. The peaceful forest with a hillside meadow looking over Magnolia and a stream of jumping fish. And standing in the middle of the world was a woman with light golden hair kneeling in front of the shocked, bloody Dragon Slayer, a pillar of erupting light shooting skyward from underneath their feet.

"I won't let you erase this light from the world!" calling of the spell protecting them, Eileen looked up at the entity of nothing with stern eye's, "And I'm not going to let you continue down this twisted path of apathy and nothing any longer!" she yelled loudly.

Zeke scoffed, "Eileen. You're still jumping into others business when it does not concern you. Grow up." raining down a barrage of gray smoking blades with a swipe of his hand Zeke continued to look down at the golden haired beauty with an unmoving expression.

Eileen blew away the blades with a swing of the two rapiers in the scabbards of hanging near her hips, the single double swipes tearing a line of air pressure to slash at her childhood friend. He blinked away, reappearing with dozens of red hands made of ancient wood popping out the zippers of his right hand behind the two mages.

"_Chuku Kyoi: Akateko no Eda, Akuma Yari(Hollow Wonder: Branches of Akateko, Devil's Spear)_!" twisting tightly together the red arms formed a giant drill like spear and aimed straight through their turned backs and into their hearts. Eileen flinched, unprepared for the speed of the attack as she clenched her eye's for the pain. The sound of an explosion caught her attention as she opened her eye's to see the pink haired man she was protecting drilling his own fist into the spear of arms.

"I'm not done with you yet!" Natsu said before roaring in effort to push back the mage of nothing. Flames burst forth from his adding more power to push back the spear of arms before the wooden branches started snapping. They cracked, shattering into red splinters that showered Zeke, blinding him from the oncoming blazing right fist of Natsu that sent him spiraling into the forests ablaze.

His arm now limp and bleeding as it hung by his side a bruised mess of broken skin, Natsu turned his head back to the girl that had saved him with a cheery grin that surprised her to no end.

"Thanks for the save back there." he said gratefully, scratching his head in embarrassment, "I would have been a goner if it wasn't for you, whoever you are." Natsu smiled sheepishly.

It took a minute before Eileen snapped out of it, smiling back at the Dragon Slayer pleasantly as she sheathed her swords.

"Don't thank me, you were the one had just saved me just now. And my name is Eileen." she introduced herself with a bright smile before it disappeared. Her eye's moved to woods just as an output of gray magic flooded out of the trees.

"He's still moving?" moving her eye's back to the Dragon Slayer, Eileen was surprised to see Natsu struggled to stand still, his body trembling from all the pain that was coursing through his veins.

"Dammit! I don't know how long I can keep this up! I can't even you my right arm anymore." falling on his knee, Natsu looked up at Eileen with heavy eye's, "Do you think you can help me out a bit? I can't keep fighting by myself like this."

Eileen sadly shook her head, "The last of my magic within the pendant has begun to fade away. The first time I was summoned took a lot of my stored energy away while I was fighting Zeke. The last spell took nearly everything I had left. I'm sorry, but I would only be a burden to you in the state Zeke is at now."

Natsu punched the ground in anger, not at Eileen, but at himself. So, that was it? Even though he could spam out his strongest spells in his world he couldn't heal the wounds and the exhaustion of the fight. He couldn't even use of his own damn arms anymore.

But he wouldn't quite either. Standing back up with trembling legs Natsu forced himself to ignore all the pain he was feeling.

His nakama were waiting for him on the other side. Cheering him on. They wouldn't stop believing he could make it out of this alive. Their hope for him was just as bright as the flames he fought with.

_'I won't lose. I'm going to put everything I have in this fight. Because their all waiting. And I can't betray the trust they have in me. Even if this body falls, I'll just push it back up. Because my friends are waiting!'_

"That's. . . a remarkable spark you have there."

"Huh?" Natsu turned back to the golden haired women smiling beautifully in the light of his flames bathing his body.

She nodded her head with a feint blush, "That power. That strength. And that heart. It's so. . . bright." she grinned warmly, closing her eye's in the presence of the power Natsu radiated with his flames.

"It almost reminds me of. . .him. Before he was consumed by his magic." she said sadly before moving to place her hand gently against Natsu's chest where his heart laid. She opened her eye's to Dragon Slayer's shocked face, the fact she wasn't hurt by his raging inferno surprising him as she hummed softly in amusement.

"My flames, there not-"

"Burning me?" she said with a giggle as he nodded.

"How?" Natsu couldn't believe it. His flames did nothing but burn anyone who got close. How was she not a grilled corpse?

"You're magic can do more then erase your enemies from existence. Just like Zeke's. All you have to do is learn to control them to follow your heart." the trees from the forest withered and died, an unseen force suddenly uprooting them from their roots to send them all flying away in the wake of another wave of nothing, revealing a frowning Zeke with an aura of silver-black crumbling the earth to dust.

"Was that all?" Zeke scoffed, wiping his left cheek of the blood running down his face as a bruise began to form.

"Just give up. You're all alone in here. There is no one to save you anymore. Accept your death peacefully." the grinning zippers giggled madly as he glared at the two eyesores, black mist seeping out from their mouths eerily.

"But he's not alone." Eileen said firmly with a smile, snapping her fingers as a second later a an enormous fireball of see through emerald flames appeared above Natsu's head.

Natsu looked up at the emerald ball of flames in confusion till they snapped open in shock.

Images were playing within the fireball. They were his memories. Every last one of them. He could see every memory within the orb playing before him, making him relive the moments in life where he had fought for his nakama. And the moments he had never seen before or even had.

They were just as worried about him as he was of them. Natsu bit his lip holding back the tears. He never meant to worry anyone. He wanted to shoulder all their problems on his shoulders so they wouldn't have to fear anything. But all this time, he was hurting them by doing everything by himself.

They were his nakama. And he was always doing whatever he could to protect the only family he had in this world. But the more Natsu risked his life for theirs, the more pain he brought them.

"She's right." Natsu smiled with goofy smile as his face was shadowed by his hair. He raised up his beaten arms above his head to reach the mass of emerald flames filled with his memories before staring back at Zeke with burning eye's of fiery intensity.

"They'll always be there. But I won't always be there for them. Not if I don't stop risking my life like an idiot. It's time I stop rushing in to things so blindly. I won't always be able to control myself, my emotions always get the better of me, but this time, when I go off into another battle that has a chance of killing me, I won't forget that my life's not just my own. It's there's!"

Zeke scowled, readying his magic to send more nightmares to finish the boy off.

"Let me show you, the power of my nakama and the light that Fairy Tail bathes in!" doing the unthinkable Natsu inhaled deeply, sucking in the fireball quadruple his size into his empty belly as it ballooned comically.

But Zeke new better. After all, this was the power he had rightfully attained before pissing off Zeke.

Moving in to stop the pink haired mage Zeke found himself stopped by Eileen locking her swords with his blade emerging from his palm.

"No!" Zeke shouted in anger, trying to move past his former friend and love to stop Natsu.

But it was too late.

Breathing in all the emerald flames till there was nothing left to float above him, Natsu gulped as he began to feel his body overflow with power. Blue colored flames arose from his body to engulf him in a new type of flames he had never felt before. They grew in height, taking over him in an inferno of dark blue flames that turned everything around him into ash.

Natsu could feel it. The change in power he was waiting for. The power to protect his nakama without risking his life for them. The power of a dragon.

A moment later the flames settled back to their original red-orange color, parting ways to reveal Natsu walking out of the inferno with his wounds healed and a confident grin glued to his face.

Eileen smiled happily, her body glowing with magic till she began to fade away in front of Zeke, "My work here is done." she sighed, looking back at Zeke one final time with a heart warming smile.

"Do the right thing, Zeke-kun."

Watching Eileen's body fade away, Zeke scoffed to the side before staring off at the healed fire mage with a thin line on his lips.

"Hmph, do you really think that will stop me? I control Nothing. I can't be beat by some little embers." his sighed boredly.

Natsu smirked, the flames over his body moving to clad him head to toe in fire.

"Don't underestimate the power of my nakama."

Rushing forward Natsu's flame body morphed into charging flames in the shape of a dragon's head opening its mouth to devour its prey.

"_Shinkaryu no Ago Funsai(True Fire Dragon's Crushing Jaw)_!"

Zeke sidestepped the out of control streak of flames, finding it useless to attack him in a such a sloppy rush only to click his teeth seeing the flaming dragon head make a u-turn and come back for another try. The dragon head roared shooting off like a bullet, too fast for Zeke to make a move, and rammed deep into his stomach. It's jaws bit into Zeke's sides, drawing blood before the flames dispersed, leaving Natsu with his right hand's claws digging into his gut.

The Nothing mage growled, digging his elbow into the side of the Dragon Slayers head before kicking him away with his boot.

Zeke quickly shot his hand forward while he had the chance, "_Chuku Kyoi: Pretas Shin'en(Hollow Wonder: Pretas Abyss)_!"

Landing back on his feet Zeke held his sides gingerly as blood seeped through his fingers as he cut loose his Preta to go wild on Natsu's ass.

"Not going to work this time." Natsu cackled like a happy idiot before moving his hands forward as little visible scales could be seen on his fingers, "_Shinkaryu no Tanzo Tsume(True Fire Dragon's Forging Claw)_!"

An audible click could be heard as his hands became covered in blood red scales, turning his hands to that of a dragon. His fingers grew black claws that grew large till they fused together to form an odd sword like claw from his fingertips.

Natsu wolfishly grinned watching the Preta come charging faster towards him, the blade growing on his fingertips beginning to heat up with smoke as it glowed a heated orange.

Quickly sidestepping the monster, Natsu swung his blade to the side of the thing before running through it as it continued to rush by him. The monster didn't turn, leaving it to suffer as it was sliced by a heated blade to the end of its tail.

Already knowing he had killed it by slicing it like meat till it was cut in half diagonally, Natsu went straight for Zeke who had decided to bring out a sword of his own in the form of a black bastard sword.

The two mages clashed blades, sending sparks flying off their heated collision. They quickly broke away from each other before wildly swinging their swords at each other without any proper form behind their strikes. Natsu never really fought with swords and Zeke was more use to using a scythe. But they didn't need much skill to hack each other to pieces.

Calling of their respected blades the two went straight back to using spells, aiming their fists clad in their magic to blast through their chests.

Their fists collided, sending a shock wave to ripple around them before landing their free fists into both their faces. They flew back with bloody lips, growling before rushing back once again.

Focusing the flames to his right shoulder, Natsu rammed straight into Zeke's chest with a quick burst of speed, "_Shinkaryu no Basuto Eikyo(True Fire Dragon's Burst Impact)_!"

Without piercing through his skin, flames shot out of Zeke's back, blowing up the back of his cloak, a bloody burnt patch of skin smoking in the wake of the spell. Gasping for air, Zeke shook off the pain before chains burst out from his zippers to whip Natsu.

"Don't fuck with me!" Zeke shouted in anger, losing his cool as he tried to slash at Natsu with his chains, "How do you know those new spells already!? You just go those new powers and already you're firing off spells you've never attempted before!"

"It's because I got these spells memorized from my time as a dragon!" Natsu shouted back as he dodged the chains, weaving through them to come close enough to Zeke and aim a right kick to his head.

Caught off guard Zeke spat blood as he staggered back before growing a dozen red arms from each side of his body from his zippers and unleashing a barrage of scarlet glowing fists.

"_Chuku Kyoi: Akateko no Eda, Kami no Kajitsu(Hollow Wonder: Branches of Akateko, God's Fruit)_!"

"_Guren, Karyu no Ken(Crimson Lotus, Fire Dragon's Fist)_!"

A barrage of gun fire like flaming fists and glowing red bursts broke in between the two mages, causing mini explosions to blow up around them. Some of the spells strayed away from their path and blew up around the hillside field, creating bellowing craters everywhere.

"Why won't you die already!?" Zeke shouted over the explosions as he began to sweat from the intensity of the flames.

"Because I can't! I have people waiting for me when I wake up! So I can't lose to some emotionless bastard like you!" Natsu roared back, increasing the speed of his fists till the resembled blurs.

Zeke was overpowered by the barrage of flaming fists, his red arms breaking apart like sticks before he was bombarded by the onslaught of blazing punches. Blown off his feet, the stream of flaming punches sent him crashing into the river where he laid a smoking mess.

He got back up gasping for air with holes smoking all over his cloak. He cursed as blood flowed down his head as he looked over his body with a weak glare.

That last spell had destroyed many of the zippers on his person. Without them he wouldn't be able to create things with his magic. Zeke punched the shallow waters, wincing as he felt his left arm throb and burn hotly.

"What's so bad about not feeling a shred of emotion?" Zeke said quietly, as tried to get back up.

Natsu sighed as he looked down at the man with pity.

"Don't you care about your friends? You've had friends before, right? How are you suppose to feel happy when you're with them when you can't feel anything?" Natsu said as he looked down.

"How else am I suppose to protect them when I'm worrying over them?" Zeke argued, surprising Natsu with the answer he got, "Yes, at one point I had friends. I loved them. But love can make you weak at any moment. When someone lays hands on your nakama, you are lost to rage. And can't think clearly about your actions. The more closer you are with your friends, the more those damned emotions get in the way. That's why it's better to cut off your ties with them to protect them."

"And how is this protecting your friends!? How is leaving them behind protecting them!? If anything you're making them sad. You're hurting them by cutting them off from your world!" Natsu shouted back in rage.

Zeke shook his head with a bitter laugh, "And look at the power in my possession. I can create anything with my magic. Anything out of Nothing. I can even create a better world for them, or their descendants. But I can't leave this plane I created with my being. I can only shape the future hopes for a better world by leading them to Enlightenment. That's how I'm protecting them. By protecting the world they all loved!"

"BULLSHIT!" Natsu barked before rushing towards Zeke with a flaming fist.

Zeke caught the fist, struggling to hold it back as Natsu shouted in his face.

"That's not protecting them! That's shunning them away! You think by giving up your life to live on as some kind of immortal to protect the future of the world they loved so much you're making them happy!? And I don't believe for a damn second that you don't have an once of emotion in that dusk of a body!" Natsu roared angrily, delivering an uppercut under Zeke's chin.

"You tried to hide it, but I saw that soft look behind those angry eye's when Eileen smiled at you! You can't deny the love in her eye's when she left! And as long as you have the memories of your friends inside that thick skull of yours, you'll never be able to ride yourself of your emotions!" aiming his fist overflowing with bright flames around Natsu shouted, "_Shinkaryu no Ken o Hassha(True Fire __Dragon's Firing Fist)_!"

Blood spat out from Zeke's mouth as he was sent flying higher into the air with the bullet fast fire punch smashing into his chest.

_'What is this'_ thought Zeke weakly as he began to fall back to the earth a scorched mess of bruises and burns, _'Am I losing? How can this be? I'm hundreds of years older then this brat! I can create anything out of nothing! Yet I'm losing? How? I'm a god within this world. So how is it possible to be losing to some mere mortal?'_

Crashing to the ground in a crater created from impact, Zeke again struggled to get up as he noticed Natsu come closer.

Zeke grit his teeth, deciding to end it all here with another Fujun'na Sekai(Impure World) that wouldn't miss. Eileen was gone now. No one could save him.

Flames cornered Zeke in suddenly within his crater causing him to stare in confusion at the licking flames keeping him from moving out. What was going? Did the little punk think he could beat him? What arrogance.

About to suck away the flames within his dark pockets, Zeke frowned as he noticed that most of them had been torn apart in the earlier spells and was only left with broken hanging threads of metal that groaned.

"You can't beat me." Natsu said firmly as he went through the flames to stand before Zeke, his own body injured from their long fight.

"Because I'm never alone. My fist carries the heart and soul of my guild. And their just as strong as me. It's because of those emotions that I have for my nakama that I won't lose. They fuel me more then flames do. I won't lose to a dusk who had thrown away his friends to selfishly protect their world instead of the world where their all smiling and laughing together."

Zeke tried to desperately gather nothing in his hands to obliterate the pink haired man in front of him, only to fail as the particles of nothing died in his hand. He coughed up more blood before leveling another glare at the Dragon Slayer.

Picking Zeke up by the charred tatters of his black shirt now that his cloak was useless rags, Natsu leveled his own glare at the Nothing mage, causing Zeke to widen his eye's in shock at what he saw behind the Dragon mage.

All those nakama's he was babbling on and on about. They were all behind him. Smiling and grinning at the pink haired Dragon Slayer. What surprised him even more was that he could even see a giant deep red scaled dragon with scars on its body and tattered bat like wings looking down proudly at his son.

Zeke faintly smiled, unseen by Natsu as his face was shadowed by his still shaggy black hair. What caught Eileen's attention he could finally see.

Just as Natsu took a deep breath as the unseen dragon above him did so as well with hellish flames glowing at the back of their throats, Zeke thought one last thing before being drowned by flames of a true Dragon and Dragon Slayer.

_'So, this is your world? No wonder you're so strong. Heh, it's so full of light. It's actually. . .not bad.'_

"_KARYU NO HOKO(FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR)!_"

And then the world was blinded and consumed by almighty dragon flames.

* * *

**I'm so tired after this. Though on a lighter note.**

**FUCKING AWESOME! Sweet! My story is the highest on the NatZa archive right now! Let's see.**

**(Pulls out second tab on Chrome to check stats, bobbing his head to Airplanes on Youtube.)**

**212 reviews, 348 Favs, and 329 Alerts! Thank you all so much! I can't believe I got this much Reviews, Favorites, and Alerts for one story. Back when I first started I didn't think I'd ever get this many. Really, thank you guy's and gal's for this.**

**Now on to the story.**

**This training arc is finally over. And a new one is about to start. The Phantom Parade! What will happen to our heroes in this next arc? And what was the results of the fight with Natsu and Zeke? What now?**

**More will be explained in the next chapter. Like Shikaryu(True Fire Dragon's). And any other questions left at the end of the chapter.**

**You'll have to wait a while though. Sorry. I got to get my other stories some updates too. I just hope this big chapter will satisfy you all for a while.**

**I'll also be busy with some legal crap during the week. Don't ask. All you need to know is that it involves large amounts of money, trucks, pain, some yelling and getting pissed off at the people on my families part while I watch on with some popcorn, and court orders. **

**Yeah, I'll be busy.**

**Oh, I've been reading over some manga lately. And I think I have a few that would great for a crossover in the summer. The summer I'll have way more free time to write and update more, so don't worry. Give me some ideas though, just in case I may of over looked a few good mangas out there.**

**Well, I'm tired. There was a few things I wanted to say, or type, but I'm tired. It's midnight and I need some sleep.**

**Remember****, read and review. It's common courtesy.**

**Till next time, NeoShadows fading in and out.**


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